Chili Experiment v.42
Welcome to my continuing search for the perfect chili.
As always, I use the Penzeys’ Basic chili recipe as the spine.
Today’s batch is still cooking; so who knows how it will turn out?
BASIC RULE #1: No beans! (This may be the only time I am in agreement with Texas.)
BASIC RULE #2: Taste and fiddle with what you have in your pot.
BASIC RULE #3: Choose your starch delivery system carefully. (I am digging on couscous recently.)
Here’s the ingredients list:
1 lb. chuck beef, cubed
3 lbs. pork loin ribs, bone-in
Container of baby bella mushrooms
1 TB. peanut oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp. GARLIC GRANULES
1/2 tsp. fresh ground BLACK PEPPER
1 tsp. GROUND CUMIN
1/2 tsp. ground CHIPOTLE PEPPER
3 dried ancho peppers, scissored
4-5 dried chipotle peppers, scissored
1 TB. chocolate
1 small can tomato paste
2 16 oz. cans no salt added diced tomatoes
a bottle of beer
splash of apple cider vinegar
one cup of crappy instant coffee, made from granules and water
PREP:
1. Set your Tivo/radio to a celtic folk station (shut up; just do it!).
2. Spend a bajillion years (25 minutes) cutting up the chiles, onion, peppers, and pork ribs.
3. Drizzle of peanut oil, then brown the beef chuck and pork ribs (kosher/halal Lizardim might want to substitute goat/sheep; lemme know); salt & pepper.
4. Half a bottle of beer to scrape the fond. Drop more oil and/or pat of butter.
5. Saute/poach the shrooms, peppers, chiles, onion, and garlic.
5a. Add back the browned meat.
6. Open cans of tomatoes. Add.
7. Open can of tomato paste. Add.
8. Stir!
9. Add half a bottle of beer, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and one cup of crappy instant coffee.
10. One TB of powdered chocolate. STIR!
11. Add additional spicing or whatever (I tend to use a bit of cloves, cinnamon, and papkrika).
12. Cook forever (4-6 hours) in a heavy Dutch oven sort of vessel. Stir once each 15 minutes.
13. Cook your starch delivery system.
EDITED TO ADD: This worked out to be my new #1, beating out the “Bison, Lamb, Ostrich” chili attempt, which was the former #1.
Edited (AGAIN) TO ADD: Finished picture!
EDITED AGAIN AGAIN TO ADD: Finish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite honey.