* I used Las Palmas green enchilada sauce. I also like the Safeway version. Sometimes I will add extra (4-10 more ounces) green enchilada sauce as it has a very nice, well-rounded flavor and can help with the texture.
* Original recipe called for 4-6 serranos and 2-4 jalapenos. As size can vary drastically, I changed this to tablespoons of minced peppers. Keep in mind you can always add heat, but it's hard to take it away.
* Original recipe called for 4½ tsp ground cumin, which is a bit heavy; so I reduced it to 1 tbsp (or 3 tsp) - you can always add more cumin to taste at the end.
* Verde Bravo Green Chili Powder might be detectable in an international competition, but most people will have trouble detecting it. You can use regular green chile powder (hot or mild, your preference) or leave it out completely and the recipe should be fine. You can order Verde Bravo online at
http://www.allthingschili.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=28-------------------------------------
* Commentary
This was my 4th year providing 2 big crockpots of green chili (1 mild & 1 hot) to the fireworks stand at Kipling & Coal Mine in Littleton. On July 3 & 4, these guys work 10-12 hour days selling fireworks & my green chili has become a ritual indulgence. Want to see their reactions? Here’s the video.
I often use these guys as guinea pigs for trying out the latest ICS World Champion Green Chili, so this year I made the 2016 winner. How was it? Pretty good, but I liked last year’s better. I made some adjustments to the recipe. There were a few red flags – first, it called for 4-6 serrano peppers and 2-4 jalapenos to be added to the dish right at the beginning. That would make a fiery hot dish even with fairly small peppers (and size was not specified). After making hundreds of chili recipes, I’ve got a sixth sense for too many chiles and too much spice; so when I see these, I cut the amount and then gradually add more in to taste at the very end. This recipe also had a lot of cumin, so I cut that down a bit.
Note that this has a special ingredient, Verde Bravo Green Chili Powder. According to the sales page at All Things Chili, “This is the green chile powder blend that has won more Chile Verde contests than any other.” Do you need it? I find that few people can tell the difference, even if you leave it out completely. I used a hot green chile powder. You can buy hot or mild at The Chili Guys at 55th & Federal or at Savory Spice Shop, along with other chile stands and Hispanic stores.
So here’s my version of the 2016 world champion recipe (my adaptations are noted). This is a very good green chili, and pretty easy to make – hope you enjoy it!