No matter who you rooted for, the big game last night was pretty good eh? My favorite moment was watching the boss slide crotch first into a camera... priceless!
But anyway, this post is about chili, or more correctly, my Superbowl Chili, which is more correctly called a stew (in my neck of the woods chili = beef and sauce. This has beans, corn, and chunks of tomatoes, so it's a stew). The recipe is a modification of one from an old cookbook my mom has from our San Antonio days, and I believe I have improved it mightily!
Ingredients
4 strips bacon
2 tbsp cooking oil (olive, peanut, vegetable, corn, canola, whatever!)
2 lbs of ground beef (I ground mine myself, using a chuck roast and a sirloin steak)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
8 green onions, sliced, including tops
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Jalapeno (or other chili), diced
1 can of beer (cheap American beer please, no lite or ice or anything odd)
1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, with liquid reserved
1 cup Pace brand medium picante sauce (yes, it has to be PACE)
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chipotle pepper (more or less to taste)
1 15 oz can pinto beans (rinsed)
1 11 oz can of corn (rinsed)
Toppings:
Chopped Cilantro
Bacon bits
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese
Frito's
Okay, this is pretty straight forward, so let's just get to it.
Cut the bacon into half strips and arrange on the bottom of a COLD Large dutch oven (mine is stainless, but a good enamelled cast iron would be awesome too) so that they aren't overlapping or touching.
Put the dutch oven on the lowest heat setting on your stove for 5 minutes. When the fat is starting to render, bring the heat up to medium low and turn over the bacon slices. When the bacon begins to brown, remove and set aside on paper towels to drain (later, microwave or bake to make the BACON BITS!).
Turn the dutch oven up to HIGH heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil (whatever floats your boat). When the oil shimmers, add the ground beef, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and jalapeno. Keep on high heat, stir occasionally, until beef is browned (usually 3-5 minutes)
Add the beer and allow to continue on high heat for another 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and reserved liquid, as well as the cumin, cinnamon, and coriander and turn the heat down to medium low, or a strong simmer). Cover and allow to simmer for an hour (or longer, you can let this simmer for a very long time, and the meat will just get more and more tender as you go).
At this point, taste for heat. Add as much chipotle pepper as you need to get the burn you desire. Then, add the beans and corn, and cover. Let simmer for 30 more minutes. Adjust salt if necessary.
Remove from heat and serve. I like to put the Frito's in the bowl first, then a helping of chili topped by cilantro, bacon, and cheese. A dollop of sour cream finishes it all off. Oh yeah, and a PBR really does make this a better meal!
Thanks
- J
