Award-Winning Chili

Gather and prepare all ingredients for the chili, measuring and chopping as needed.

In a large pot, combine stewed tomatoes, chopped onion, celery, carrot, tomato paste, steak sauce, green and red bell peppers, white wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

While the tomato mixture simmers, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon slices to paper towels to drain and crisp.

In the same skillet with bacon drippings, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking it up, until brown and crumbly. Drain excess fat and stir in chili seasoning mix until beef is well coated.

Crumble the cooked bacon and stir it into the tomato mixture along with the seasoned beef and ground cumin. Continue simmering until vegetables are tender and flavors are well blended. Stir in kidney beans, chopped cilantro, and parsley, and cook until beans are heated through. Serve the chili warm.