Man Pleasin' Chili

That's right.

 

Brrrrr!  How did this happen?  A couple of weeks ago it was hot outside.  Then the following week it only appeared to be hot outside from the view of my bedroom or office window - it was that sunny/cold combination that I can't stand because it's so indecisive and deceiving.  And now, the Rainy Season is upon us.

For those that don't live around the lower west coast of British Columbia, Canada, like me, we have a fifth extra season here called The Rainy Season, that typically stretches for about six months of the year, sometimes longer.  Anyone who lives here knows it's going to happen every year, the same as it did the year before that and the year before that.  And even though prior to The Rainy Season starting we had a streak of about 75 days of uninterrupted really nice weather this year, we still reserve the right to complain as soon as The Rainy Season hits.  And complaining is what most people do, except...me.  Call me a freak, but I like when it rains, and I always have.  Especially when I am indoors, with a good book or an even better reality TV episode, The Hubby, a nice glass of wine or cup of tea, and a soup, chili, stew, or something else from the crock pot.  I guess I was born in the right part of the world, because Raincouver (obviously an incredibly smart and very, very funny play on words) is the nickname bestowed upon Vancouver, where I live close to, and as Canada's third most rainy city, we get an average of 161 days and 1200 mm of rain per year

One good thing about this cold, rainy weather that we are having is that it means that I can more than likely convince The Hubby that it's a good idea for me to purchase new boots and a new warm jacket, because, "winter is just around the corner!!"  (Update:  since writing this I bought 1) new boots, 2) a new warm jacket, a 3) a 'few' other things that I needed).


Anyways, the other day I made this chili, and it's really, really good.  The Hubby gave it two enthusiastic thumbs up.  It has three types of meat (ground beef, ground Italian Sausage, and sliced chuck), two types of beans (pinto and kidney), four types of peppers (red bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, Poblano chilis, and Anaheim chilis), and beer (gluten-free beer, if you're into that type of thing, like me).  The recipe comes from Guy Fieri of 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives' (or just Triple D if you live in my house), and it's a good'un.  It's man-pleasing chili.  Or wo-man-pleasin' chili.  Make it...you won't regret it!  I served it the other night for the the first time to The Hubby, my brother, and his awesome girlfriend, and we ate it with gluten-free cornbread.  The gluten-free cornbread recipe was a 6 / 10, so I'm not going to post it, but I have a new cheddar and jalapeno gluten-free cornbread recipe that I am going to post about soon.

I'm salivating.

Man Pleasin' Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, or bacon grease
• 2 red bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 jalapenos, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
• 3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
• 2 yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 head garlic, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 pound boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 pounds ground beef, coarse grind
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 12 ounces lager beer (I used the gluten-free brand New Grist)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, with juice
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans kidney beans, with juice
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar (for garnish)

Directions
In a large stock pot over high heat, add butter and canola oil (or bacon grease - I used oil).  Add bell pepper, jalapeno, chilies, and onion, and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute a minute longer.  Add chuck and brown.  Add ground beef and ground sausage, stirring gently so as to not break up the meat too much, and cook until nicely browned and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes.  Add granulated onion, granulated garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.  Add in tomato sauce and tomato paste, and stir for two minutes.  Stir in beer and chicken stock, and add beans.  Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.  Serve in bowls topped with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced green onions.

Tip:  For a mild chili, remove the seeds from the jalapeno peppers prior to putting into your pot.  For a spicier chili, leave them in!

Recipe Source:  Guy Fieri