The weather is finally getting cool out here on the southern west coast and it’s about that time to break out Mama’s famous chili! My mother and father were both very good at making chili in two totally different ways. My mother was more of the organic, less fat and natural salt chili and my father’s requires bread and milk to get you through his fiery bites! I like to experiment with meat and fixin’s with mine! I like to use ground meat (beef, pork, turkey or vegan) as well as brisket or pot roast. I don’t use beans in mine, and your spiciness level is optional based on personal taste. I like my chili hearty, warm and heavy to keep me warm on a cold day with a big piece of buttery cornbread and an ice cold beer. I’m gonna share my most complicated recipe with you so that you can take it down for convenience or taste if you’d like! This is definitely crock pot friendly. Remember, chili is best served from a low and slow method!
Ingredients:
Beef Short Ribs
Ground Beef
Chuck Roast (I like bone-in to get the flavor, and then remove it once it’s done cooking)
Olive Oil
Whole Peeled Tomatoes (Canned)
Tomato Water (from Whole Peeled Tomatoes)
Tomato Paste (a small can or 2 tbsp)
White Onion
Fresh Garlic
Green Olives
Better Than Bouillon (Chicken)
Low Sodium Chicken Stock
Red Kidney Beans (if you like beans in your chili. I’m a no beans type of girl)
Fresh Italian Parsley
White Corn (On the cob preferably. But frozen kernels will do also)
Jalapenos or Serrano Chilies
Chili Powder
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Cumin
Dried Oregano
Rice Flour (I use rice flour because it’s a little lighter than the AP flour, but you can use AP flour if you like)
Salt & Pepper your Beef Short Ribs & Chuck Roast. Lightly coat them in the Rice flour. Roast your Jalapeno or Serrano Chilies over an open flame until the outside is nicely charred. Remove the outside, remove seeds & stems, dice and set aside. Oil pot or crock pot you will use for chili with Olive Oil. Brown your Short Ribs and Chuck Roast. Once brown, remove and set aside. While browning your meat, you can chop your White Onions, Garlic and Parsley. In the pan where you browned the meat, add your White Onions, Garlic and a little of the chopped Parsley. Saute together until translucent, then add your Ground Beef (or whatever ground meat you plan on using) and brown together. Season with Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Chili Powder, Dried Oregano & Garlic Powder Remove Peeled Tomatoes from can. Keep water and set aside. Rough chop tomatoes and add to the ground meat and onions/garlic/parsley trinity. Stir in Chilies. Add Tomato Water from can of Peeled Tomatoes, tomato paste, and a tsp of the Better Than Bouillon and stir in. Add in your Beef Short Ribs & Chuck Roast. If adding beans, add now. Cover with Chicken Stock. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 3-4 hours before checking. I usually let my chili cook for about 6 hours or until the Beef Short Ribs and Chuck Roast have cooked throughly, is falling off the bone and can be shredded. Once the meat is cooked through, remove from chili, shred and de-bone and then place back in chili. 10 minutes before serving, remove kernels from cob and place in chili. Then roughly chop your green olives and place in chili.
Fixin’s:
In my house we use:
Grated Pepper Jack and Colby cheese
Sour Cream
Diced Onions
Avocado
Rice
Shiner Bock or Fat Tire Beer
Instead of beef you can use shredded chicken or turkey along with ground turkey, chicken or vegetarian meat. In order to use a shredded poultry, you will have to roast a chicken or turkey breast or thigh and then add into your chili an hour or so before serving. You can also add the juice from the roasting to your chili for extra flavor!
