Chili Con Carne
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It seems as if there as many ways to prepare chili as there are cooks who make chili. Ground beef versus chunks, pork versus beef, pinto versus kidney beans, beans versus no beans, red chili or green chili - the combinations, as the preferences for them, are endless. (The Wikipedia has a great write-up on chili con carne if you are interested in exploring its origins and varieties.) A few notes on this recipe. We use chuck roast because it holds up the best to long stewing. The meat and onions are cooked in bacon fat which contributes to the flavor. We include kidney beans because we like kidney beans, but you can substitute other beans or leave them out entirely. A little sugar is needed to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and lime juice. The "secret sauce" so to speak of this recipe is the addition of chipotle chile powder, made from smoke-dried jalapeño peppers. Chipotle adds a smokey dimension to the chili, enhancing all of the other flavors. If you can't find chipotle powder, Tabasco makes a chipotle pepper sauce that can be used to add some smokey flavor to the stew.
Everyone has their favorite chili recipe. This one is mine, what's yours?
Chili Con Carne Recipe
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Ingredients
Chipotle chili powder
2 Tbsp red chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
3-4 Tbsp water
4 strips bacon
One 2 1/2 pound chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño chili peppers, stems removed, seeded, ribs removed, minced
1 14-oz can whole tomatoes
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 14-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in a couple tablespoons of water
Salt
Grated cheddar cheese and chopped red onion for garnish
Method
1 In a small bowl mix the chili powder, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, thyme, and ground coriander seeds. Mix in water so that chili forms a light paste. Set aside.
2 Cook the bacon in a large skillet on medium high heat until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan and set aside on a paper towel. Pour bacon fat from the pan into a separate container, reserve. When the bacon cools, crumble it into smaller pieces and set aside.
3 Increase heat to medium high, add back in 1 Tablespoon of bacon fat. Working in batches so that you don't crowd the beef (crowding will steam cook the meat instead of browning it), brown the beef cubes on all sides, lightly salting as you cook the beef. Remove beef from pan, set aside.
4 Add another Tablespoon of bacon fat to the pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add the chili paste and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
5 Into a 6-quart thick-bottomed Dutch oven, put onion chili mixture, beef, bacon, tomatoes (break up the whole tomatoes with your fingers as you put them in the pot), water, lime juice and sugar. Heat the chili on medium high heat until it comes to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Then uncover and cook for another half hour, keeping the temperature at a place where you can maintain a simmer.
6 Mix the cornstarch powder into a little water to dissolve the corn starch (otherwise you'll have lumps to deal with) and add to the chili to thicken it. Gently mix in the kidney beans. Add salt to taste. Adjust seasonings. Depending on the acidity of the tomatoes and lime juice you may need a little more sugar to bring the stew to balance. At this point you can also add a little more chili powder if you desire more heat.
Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and chopped red onion. Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips, and or rice.
Serves 4 to 6.
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Oh man, that looks amazing!
My favourite chili comes from Chili My Soul, a restaurant down in the San Fernando Valley. I like almost all their chili varieties, but the best is their habanero ango chicken chili. Spicy, sweet, incredible.