Make it at Home: J. Selby’s Winning 2020 Chili Cook-Off Chili

J. Selby's stole the show at the chili cook-off with their Pasilla Pepper Porter Chili!

Did you fall in love with J. Selby’s winning Pasilla Pepper Porter Chili at the cook-off? Now you can make it at home! We recommend making the cocoa espresso pecans and cilantro lime sour cream before starting the chili—even up to a day ahead!

This chili has it all—sweet, savory, and spicy flavors with a little bit of tang—and is sure to satisfy.

Pasilla Pepper Porter Chili:

  • 5 dried pasilla chiles
  • 5 dried hatch chiles
  • 5 dried ancho chiles
  • 5 dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 quarts onion, diced
  • Oil (of your choice)
  • Medium bunch thyme, picked
  • Medium bunch oregano, picked
  • 1/2 cup minced garlic
  • 2 quarts assorted bell peppers, diced
  • 12oz Indeed Stir Crazy Porter
  • 2 quarts black beans, cooked (from dry) or canned
  • 4 quarts San Marzano canned tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup vinegar (white or any of your choice)

Instructions:

  1. Seed and stem the dried chiles.
  2. Add half of the onion with the dried chilis in a pot with oil and salt to fully hydrate the dried chiles.
  3. Add herbs and blend to a paste.
  4. Sweat remaining onion in oil with garlic and bell peppers.
  5. Add beer and cook until reduced by half.
  6. Add chile paste and all remaining ingredients, then simmer until flavors are developed and vegetables are tender.
  7. Serve with garnishes and enjoy!!

Pecan Topping:

  • 1 pound of pecans
  • 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon Espresso powder
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 cup Water

Instructions:

  1. Make an espresso cocoa simple syrup by combining equal parts sugar and water with cocoa and espresso powders and heating until dissolved. 
  2. Add the pecans and cook until tender, and the simple syrup fully coats the pecans without being too runny.
  3. Bake on a sheet tray with a wire rack for 5 minutes at 350F.

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream:

  • 16oz Follow Your Heart sour cream
  • Juice from one lime
  • One bunch of fresh cilantro

Instructions:

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine all of the lime juice, fresh cilantro, and sour cream and blend.
  2. Save some fresh cilantro to garnish with the pecans and sour cream, just like the J. Selby’s team did at the cook-off!

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Loved the chili cook-off? Learn about other upcoming CAA events at exploreveg.org/events and get involved at exploreveg.org/volunteer.

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