Heated discussion at chili cook off

The absolute best chili recipes are years in the making.

Just ask Arlington Heights resident Daniel Laske, one of the two winners at this year's Arlington Heights Chili Cook Off.

Laske's chili recipe was inspired by his wife, Christine, and his good friend, chef Frank Luis Durand, who lives in Missoula, Mont.

Christine brought her Italian pasta sauce and Durand added his Tex-Mex cuisine knowledge.

"It has taken years of adding, subtracting ingredients -- and this final product is my absolute favorite," Laske says.

Two awards were recently given out after the Chili Cook Off -- one for the best individual chili and one for the best restaurant chili. A panel of judges picked the individual chili, and patrons tasted and picked the best restaurant. Five restaurants and 18 individuals entered the contest.

The judges were Arlington Heights Deputy Fire Chief Ken Koeppen; Joe Bartosch, from the radio show "The Score"; and Carol Blackwood from Village Bank.

For the individual competition, Frank Appleby of People's Bank came in second, and Arlington Heights resident Russ Panzarella took the third-place prize for the individual chili contest.

The other participating Arlington Heights restaurants were Boston Blackie's, Fuego Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar, Peggy Kinnane's Irish Restaurant & Pub, and Harry's of Arlington.

Around 500 people attended the event, said Jon Ridler, executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.

Here are the two winning chili recipes.

Laske will only reveal his ingredients. The preparation is a secret, he said.

Redd-Jett Chili, Daniel Laske

Ingredients: Ground sirloin, veal, lamb, pork, along with tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili pepper, chili powder, onion, shallot, garlic, Louisiana hot sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, honey, beer (3 Floyd's Alpha King).

Wild Game Chili, Birch River Grill

5 pounds bison strip loin, cut and trimmed half-inch steaks

5 pounds ground wild boar

2 pounds andouille sausage

5 pounds ground buffalo

2 pounds peppered bacon, diced

½ cup flour

5 onions, diced

½ gallon water

½ cup ground cumin

½ cup chili powder blend

½ cup oregano

1 No. 10 can chili sauce

1 No. 10 can tomato puree

1 No. 10 can diced San Marzano tomatoes

½ cup chopped garlic

½ cup salt and pepper mix

1 quart dry-measure rattlesnake beans, cooked

1 quart dry-measure appaloosa beans, cooked

Sear ground meats and andouille sausage with salt and pepper mix. Drain in perforated pan.

Grill strip loin steaks, dice and add to cooked ground meats.

Render bacon. Put aside rendered bacon; saute onions and garlic in bacon fat. While sauteing, add ½ cup flour and stir well.

Return meats to pan. Add remainder of ingredients except cooked beans and rendered bacon.

Simmer for 1½ hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

Add beans and bacon; simmer for remaining 10 minutes. Cool in pans.