Football is very important in our house. Some of us are heavily into fantasy football and SOME of us, cough-cough, are heavily into real football. As you may know, I am into football purely for the social aspects of it. I'm not ashamed to admit it. It is also an excuse to create a nice little football spread, and what says "football" on a 75-degree LA day better than chili? As with all chili this recipe is better if made a day or two before it is served. That gives all the flavors a chance to meld.
BEAR WEATHER CHILI
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 C chopped onions
1-2 carrots, peeled and diced small
1-2 stalks celery, diced small
2 to 3 lg. garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 lbs ground chuck ( I used ground turkey and ground chuck--probably a total of about 3 1/2 lbs)
5 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried thyme
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 14 1/2 oz can chicken broth (I use the lower-sodium kind)
1 12-oz bottle beer
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 15-16-oz can chili beans
2-3 cans beans, drained (kidney, black, cannellini, etc.)
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
chopped fresh cilanto (optional)
Your favorite chili toppings for serving--sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, chopped onions, etc
Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic. Add ground meat and saute until brown, breaking up meat with spoon, about 5 minutes. Drain off oil. Add chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano and thyme. Stir for 2 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, beer and tomato paste. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Mix in beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve. Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm over low heat before serving. Serves 8 to 10 football, cooking, and shopping fans.
NOTE: Cooking is an art, baking is a science. What this means is that in baking you need to follow the recipe pretty much as written. In most cooking recipes, however, you have a little more wiggle room. For this recipe what it means is, if you don't have celery, don't worry about it. If you don't have onions or carrots, go to the store, however! If you want to use half beef and half turkey, that's OK. If you want to use 4 lbs of meat and 1 can of beans go ahead. If you want to add an extra can of diced tomatoes or a little bit of crushed red or cayenne pepper for more heat, that's fine too. Enjoy!
6 comments:
what if I don't have a pot
mjr
Sounds Deelicious!!! R you sure you did not "forget" one or 2 KEY ingredients? There has been a rumor circulating for a while that you sometimes leave a "little" something out to keep your competition neutralized...... : )
I didn't realize I HAD any competition....right back at you, sista....
There are no beans in chili....
PV's NE Patriot Meat Chili (See you in Phoenix)
5 lb. beef (of dubious quality -important) (used pot roast and chuck)
1 cup oil
Cube beef in one-inch pieces. Leave some fat. Heat oil in pot or dutch oven (large enough for the whole batch). Add cubed beef and coat all pieces with oil. Cook until meat takes on a gray color, but no more.
2 16 oz. can whiole tomatoes
2 tbsp. oregano
1/2 cup chili powder
1 tbsp. salt
3 tbsp. cumin
1 small ground up hot pepper
Chop tomatoes in blender. Combine tomatoes and oregano in saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer during next step.
Add chili powder, cumin and salt, coating all pieces. Add tomato mixture to top off the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for two hours (optionally on a smoker)
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped, enough for 2 cups (used home onions)
1 cup finely chopped peppers (indulge yourself)
3-4 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup oil (skim the oil from the beef pot and use, it has more flavor).
1/2 cup masa harina
Prepare the above ingredients. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Saute the onions until they start to turn clear. Add the garlic and peppers and saute. Sprinkle some masa harina in the frying pan and add some liquid from the beef pot. Stir and continue doing this until you have used all the masa. Use enough liquid to make the mixture a pasty consistency. Now add the masa "paste" to the beef pot and stir thoroughly. This will thicken the chili, although it may take a while (overnight in the 'fridge) before the chili really "sets".
You had me at "dubious."
Guess I will have to come up with some sort of Green Bay Packers chili now.
I went to a chili cookoff the other night and had white chicken chili with cumin. Wow.
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