No apres-ski menu is complete without chili. It’s a great way to warm up, and fill up, after burning calories cutting tracks in the snow.

Every season, the kitchen staff at Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, N.Y., serves up more than 12,000 bowls of Whiteface Mountain Chili, a recipe developed by chef Kenneth Clapp. It is made from sweet Italian sausage, beans and plenty of seasonings.

Further west, chef Mike Sheard serves up a blend of buffalo meat and ground turkey in his chili at Two Elk, the flagship restaurant on Vail Mountain in Colorado. Buffalo meat, also called American bison, is widely available at most large grocers and natural foods stores.

Both recipes make enough to feed a crowd.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 large Spanish onion, quartered

4 medium stalks celery

2 medium carrots

2 green bell peppers, seeded and quartered

28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 cup medium salsa

15-ounce can tomato puree

10-ounce can chili sauce

1 Tbsp. chili powder, more or less to taste

1/2 Tbsp. cumin

1 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp.  dried oregano

1 tsp.  dried basil

1 tsp.  crushed red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp. chopped jalapeno peppers

Two 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

15-ounce pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat until nearly smoking. Add the sausage and saute until it resembles a coarse crumble, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the onions, celery, carrots and green peppers in a food processor and pulse until very finely diced. Add the vegetables to the sausage and saute another 6 to 8 minutes, or until soft.

Add diced tomatoes, salsa, tomato puree and the chili sauce. Stir and bring it to a simmer, then cook 10 minutes.

Add the chili powder, cumin, white pepper, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, garlic, bay leaf and jalapenos. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 25 minutes. Add the beans and simmer another 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.



Buffalo Chili

Mike Sheard of Two Elk restaurant on Vail Mountain in Colorado

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 1/4 pounds buffalo stew meat (cut into large chunks)

1 1/4 pounds ground buffalo meat

10 ounces ground turkey

2 cups diced yellow onions

2 cups finely diced red and green bell pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Two 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

15-ounce can tomato puree

28-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp. diced jalapenos peppers

Salt, to taste

Directions

In a large heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over a high heat. Add enough of the buffalo stew meat to cover the bottom of the pan. Sear the meat, in batches if needed, using tongs to flip the pieces to get all sides. Transfer the meat to a large bowl.

Add 1 cup cold water to the pot to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the meat to the pot and add enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Meat should be very tender.

Meanwhile, in a second large pot over medium heat, add remaining oil. When the oil is hot, add the ground buffalo and turkey. Saute, stirring to break up, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion, peppers and garlic. Cover and cook about 5 minutes.

Transfer the ground meat and vegetable mixture to the original pot with the buffalo stew meat. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat 1 hour. Season to taste with salt.