Thursday, February 14, 2013

Chili

5 lbs ground meat
3 cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, small dice
2 large carrots, small dice
1 small can tomato paste
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
4 dried ancho chilis, stems and seeds removed
4 dried guajillo chilis, stems and seeds removed
10 dried arbol chilis, stems and seeds removed
3 cups chicken stock
Cumin
Coriander
Honey

There are tons of ways to make chili, and I'm not sure I ever make it the same way twice, but this is the general guideline I follow.  Some notes about the ingredients:

  • You can use whatever meat you like; as long as it's ground this recipe works the same.  My personal favorite is a mixture of beef and lamb, but experiment for yourself and see what you like.  I also make a chili with braised chunks of meat, but this is not that recipe.  A note within a note about ground meat:
    • Pick a whole cut and have the butcher grind it.  For beef, look for brisket or chuck roasts.  For pork, a shoulder roast (or Boston butt as it is commonly referred to).  This is the only way to buy ground meat.
  • Dried chilis and cans of chipotle peppers in adobo can be overpriced or hard to find at your local big box grocer.  Find a Mexican grocery store and stock up on these.  If that's too much for you, stop by a Wal-Mart that caters to the hispanic population.  You'll find these items plentiful and cheap.
  • On the topic of chilis, don't get bogged down in the type.  As long as you're using a mix you'll have a flavorful chili.
  • And if the whole business of buying and preparing dried chilis is too much for you, you can always buy chili powder from the spice aisle.  Just know that your chili will never be as good as mine.
Also, be aware of what you're doing when handling chilis.  Ideally you want to wear latex gloves; short of that just handle them as little as possible and wash your hands immediately after.  

1.  Combine chilis and chicken stock in a sauce pot and bring to a boil.  Once the mixture comes to a boil, cover and remove from heat.  Let sit for 30 minutes to let the chilis soften.  Puree with immersion blender.  If you don't have an immersion blender you can pour the mixture into a blender; just be sure the mixture is cooled before you blend.

2.  Heat a dutch oven over medium heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and the ground meat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until browned.  Remove the meat and pour off the grease.  

3.  Add more olive oil if necessary and add carrots and onions.  Cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Add chipotle peppers and cook another five minutes.  Season generously with cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper.  Add tomato paste; I generally use a little less then the full can, leaving a little to add later if I think the chili is too watery.

4.  Add diced tomatoes and chili mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Once you are down to a simmer, add in the browned meat and drained and rinsed beans.  Cook for 20 minutes to let the flavors combine.  

5.  Finish with a large dollop of honey to balance the chilis.