Chili
Thick and hearty Chili loaded with beef, pork and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp bacon fat or oil
- 1 leek, white and light green part only
- 1 medium onion
- 1 red pepper
- 1 yellow or orange pepper or any colour combination
- 8 large mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1-2 small hot peppers such as jalapeno or hotter peppers if desired
- 1 lb medium ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, roasted if desired
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp cumin
- 3-4 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper more or less as desired
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 can beer
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese
- minced green onions
Instructions
- Rinse and chop leek, onion, peppers and mushrooms.
- In large oven proof pot melt bacon fat or heat oil. Add chopped vegetables and saute until soft but not brown.
- Mince garlic. Add to vegetable mixture, along with beef and pork and cook until meat is browned.
- Drain beans, rinse well and drain. Add to meat mixture.
- If desired, arrange chopped tomatoes on a large baking sheet and roast for approximately 20 minutes until liquid is reduced. Otherwise, simply add chopped tomatoes to meat mixture and bring to a simmer. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and Worcestershire. Stir in cumin, chili powder, cayenne, cocoa powder and salt and pepper. Taste to ensure desirable amount of salt.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add can of beer to chili. Bring to a simmer. Cover and bake in oven for at least one hour.
- If desired, garnish with any combination of sour cream, minced green onion and shredded cheddar cheese.