I love chili, so much so that I spent about two years of my life as a pre-teen eating nothing but canned chili and Kraft Macaroni and Cheeze (Accept no substitiues!). I’ve been looking for a Dennison’s-style recipe for a while, just a basic chili that amenable to being spiced to tounge-swelling levels and isn’t based on yukky tomatoes.
so here’s the chili recipie I’ve been playing with lately.
Combine in large pot:
2 large (15 oz.) cans Red Beans or Pinto Beans (I prefer Red beans, just for color)
2 strongly flavored beers (24 oz.)
(I’ve used Negro Modelo and Sam Adams, both of which work well. I’m curious how a really hoppy beer like an IPA would work. Also a strong stout like an Imperial Stout or Sam Smith’s Oatmeal Stout could be really good also)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 bay leaves
6 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 Tbsp. Cayenne powder*
3 jalapeno peppers stemmed, seeded and pureed*
Cook the above over low heat while you prepare:
2 lbs. ground sirloin or ground chuck
(Course ground works better)
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
5(or so) cloves garlic, minced
combine beef and onion in a skilett and cook untill beef is just cooked through and onion is limp. Add the garlic in the last two minutes of cooking.
Combine meat with beans and cook over low heat until thick (about 1 1/2 – 2 hours)
Alternative for the meat.
2 lbs. lean stew meat cut into 1/2″ chunks
4 slices bacon (the thicker and fattier the better)
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
5 (or so) cloves garlic, minced
Cook the bacon untill all fat renders (very crisp) and set aside. brown meat and onion in the bacon fat until meat is just cooked through and onion starts to carmelize. add garlic in last 2 mins. of cooking. Combine with beans and cook as above.
Serve over rice, or with cheese, crackers and sour cream. Or on hot dogs**. Or combine with mac and cheese.
*Alternatively leave out the cayenne powder and jalapenos and replace with fresh cayenne, habenero or scotch bonnetts. Or leave out entirely, if you’re a spicy food whimp)
**Note on dot dogs. There are only four commercially available brands of hot dogs that are fit for human consumption: Hebrew National, Vienna Beef, Nathan’s and Sabrett. Use other types at your own risk.