Chili. Again. I know.

All right. I know I’ve blogged about chili once or twice before. But my recipe for chili has gone through a few changes for the better. When I read that original recipe, posted long-ago, I shudder to think that someone might have read it and actually made that pot of muck. It’s not actually that bad, but there are some order and technique issues that I have since figured out and improved upon. As my wife said earlier tonight – my chili is a metaphor for my ascent into adulthood.

I am pretty sure she was kidding.

Anyway, I made chili tonight. It was excellent. I have leftovers if you want some.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• spices:
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • garlic powder
  • garlic salt
  • oregano
  • thyme
  • dill
  • bay leaves
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 lb ground beef (85/15 or higher)
• 6 oz tomato paste
• SPECIAL SPICES
  • ground chipotle pepper
  • cocoa powder
  • cinnamon
• 12 oz beer
• 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans
• 2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans

YOU WILL NEED TO:

1.  Chop up the onion and peppers.

Use a jalapeno’s worth of canned slices if you don’t have a fresh pepper. No biggie.
Try to get the dice fairly small, but not tiny. It all depends on how big you like the chunks of things in your chili. I’m okay with some chunk.

 

2.  Combine them in a medium-to-large pot over medium-high heat with some cooking oil.

 

Add the minced garlic after a couple of minutes, when the onions and peppers start to soften. Let that cook for about five minutes, stirring fairly often.

3.  Add the meat and spices.

  

Chunk the meat up and mix well with the onions and peppers. Liberally add spices to your heart’s content. Do not skimp on the chili powder and cumin. You can never have enough. I promise. Cover the lid and ignore that pot for about 5-6 minutes. Lift the lid and your meat will be cooked! Magic.

4.  Add the tomato paste and SPECIAL SPICES.

   

I know a lot of people who use tomato sauce in their chili. They’re wrong. We’re not making minestrone here, people. Stir the tomato paste until it coats the meat, and now is when we add the special biz.

Add a good heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder (trust me), a good heaping tablespoon of cinnamon (I promise), and add a nice coating from one end of the pot to the other of the ground chipotle (zomg). OH YEAH. Stir that biz in.

Let it cook for a solid 5 or 6 minutes, still at medium-high heat. We want to cook off most of whatever liquid we have left and let the tomato paste get a nice toasted flavor.

You’ll smell it when it’s ready.

You’ll know.

5.  Pour in the liquid gold.

 

Not Velveeta! I swear, if you put Velveeta in this - -

Pour in a can or bottle of whatever blue-ribbon-winning beer you happen to have on hand. It will help to de-glaze the bottom of the pot, and it will make your chili damn good. Put the lid on and let that cook down for around 15 or 20 minutes. Stir it during commercial breaks.

6. Tomatoes, Beans, and Bay

 

Add in your tomatoes, beans, and a bay leaf or two for your grandpa to find in his bowl. Stir it in, turn it down, and let it sit. Cook this for at least half an hour (more is better) on low heat. Stir it during commercial breaks, or when you get spawn-camped. I like to leave the lid cracked open so the steam can escape and the chili can reduce. The longer this cooks, the more liquid is released, and the better it tastes. What you’re eventually left with is a nice, thick chili with a smoky, deep flavor from the chipotle and chocolate – with a little spice kick from the cinnamon you won’t even consciously notice but will definitely appreciate.

7. Eat Dat Chili

Serve it up with some crackers, sour cream, and sharp cheddar. Eat like a king for a week.