How's the weather been for you all lately? We are now a week into July, which around these parts typically means *hot* and *dry*. We've had an unseasonably cold start to our summer this year, though, and even though the weather seems to be starting to turn, we're still seeing most days not quite as hot as average, and some days just downright chilly. On the days that it's hot, I don't dare to turn on the oven, and try to keep the stove usage to a minimum. This means loads of BBQ and/or cold dinners. (We eat a lot of salads and veggie plates in the summer.) But lately I've had a hankering... we love our beans in this house, and I wanted to make some chili. So, last week, when we had one of those unseasonably cold and kind of rainy days, I took full advantage and fired up the stove to make a giant pot of this **Chili Con Carne**.
There are a few things I love about this stuff. Firstly, it's pretty simple to make. Yes, it takes a bit of patience to make sure you're getting optimal flavor, but it's really not difficult. Secondly, it is *even better* the next day, so you actually look forward to leftovers! Thirdly, it makes for some very quick dinners on subsequent days, especially on the days when the temperature has risen and you don't want to turn on the stove... I used some to make up a plate of nachos the other day, and man was it good! (Just be sure to either skim off some of the liquid, or use it sparingly... we had a few soggy chips. lol) Oh, and lastly, this is a really great way to cram a whole lotta veggies into one meal.
So, let's take a peek at how I did it!
First things first, you need to *brown the meat!* Yes, you technically *could* just throw everything into a pot and walk away, but it's not going to taste the best, and the texture will be "meh". So, like most things, if you want it to be awesome, you're going to need to invest a little time and love into it. 😘
You can use whichever type of meat you prefer (and I'm sure the vegetarians out there could even sub some crumbled up firm tofu). I used a combination of ground pork and some hot italian sausage. (Building up some flavor already!) I used my trusty cast iron dutch oven, and browned the meat over med-high heat, in a little splash of olive oil, mixed with a splash of veg oil, to keep the smoke point high. Once the meat was mostly browned, and the brown bits on the bottom of the pot were starting to get a bit dark, I tossed in my diced onions and carrots. This helps to build the flavor, to make sure they're nice and soft by the end, and to deglaze the bottom of the pot (get all the crunchy brown bits off).
Give those a few minutes to soften and do their thing, and once the onions are translucent, toss in some diced bell pepper.
Once those have had a few moments to start to break down and soften, and release a bit of their juice, it's time to turn the heat down a bit and spice things up. I like to add my spices before adding liquid. Putting them into a hot, fairly dry pot helps the spices to "bloom", meaning, to start to activate them and release their flavor. The flavors will be a lot brighter and bolder if you take the time to do this step. You can see I've got a pile of herbs and spices: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, steak spice, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, coriander, homemade chipotle/ancho chili powder, and a bay leaf. Oh, and let's not forget a few cloves of minced fresh garlic.
Give those a thorough stir through, and allow them to saute with everything for a few minutes. Once you can smell all those spices, and they're looking shiny, and the herbs are looking a little more cooked, go ahead and add some liquid. I like to add just a little splash of something to help me get all those tasty little brown morsels off the bottom of the pot, and make sure nothing is sticking or burning. For this, I used a little red wine. Just a few "glugs"... so maybe 1/3 of a glass? Just enough to make sure there's some liquid over the whole bottom, to help me to scrape all the deliciousness off, and to give it a brighter, fuller flavor later on.
Now that everything is scraped off the bottom, and things are marrying together nicely, it's time to add in the rest of the liquid and the tomatoes. I added a couple splashes of worcestershire sauce, and a bit of beef broth, to help deepen the flavor. Plus, I used a large can of diced tomatoes, and a large can of tomato sauce. Sometimes I forego the diced, or add some diced fresh tomatoes. Sometimes I even add a small can of tomato paste. It really just depends on what I have on hand, and what I feel like doing that day. Don't feel tied to doing things one way every time! A dish like this is the perfect time to do some experimenting!
And now for some patience. You're going to want to turn the heat to med-low, cover it most of the way (I like to leave a little vent on one side), and let all this simmer and meld together for *at least* a half hour, giving it a stir now and then, to make sure things aren't sticking on. Again, yes, you could technically throw everything else in and call it a day, but I promise you won't regret this little intermission.
After you've left things to get ~~schwifty~~ tasty, you can add in your beans. I used one can each of red kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans. In the past I've also used white kidney beans, black eyed peas, and navy beans. You really can use whichever and as many different kinds as you like. Again, feel free to experiment, and change things to your taste!
Can you guess what I'm going to say next? Yes, that's right... leave it to simmer *again!* I like to leave it for another half hour or so. You can do as little as 10 min, or up to an hour, but I wouldn't recommend simmering forever. Canned beans are already quite soft, so they'll start to fall apart and turn to mush if you get too crazy.
After they've been simmering for about 10-15 min I like to have a little taste, and check the seasoning. This is the optimal time to adjust anything that needs adjusting, because everything has been simmering for a while, and the herbs and spices have done their work, but there's still some time to simmer and meld flavors, should anything be lacking. For me, it was a little more chili powder, a little more cumin, and a little sprinkle of salt. (You don't want to be adding spices right at the very end, because they won't have time to properly release their flavor.)
During the last 5 min or so, I like to add in a good pile of corn. We always keep some frozen peaches and cream corn kernels on hand. It makes for a quick and healthy side, and it's easy to add into things. I mean, why not add a little extra veg when you can? This is also the perfect time to add a little heat, should you like things a little on the spicier side. (The longer you cook hot chilis, the more heat they release, so if you added cayenne pepper in the first dose of spices, you're going to be having some fairly hot chili.) Since I'm cooking for somewhat sensitive kids, I left things fairly mild, and spiced up my own bowl later.
Scoop it up into your bowl, and top it how you like. I love sprinkling on some grated cheese, and chopped cilantro and green onions. I also added a little pinch of our homemade hot chili powder to mine. (Made by smoking the ribs and seeds from jalapeños, anaheims, and poblanos until dry, and blending to a powder.)
### Dinner is served!
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I wanted to note that you really can play around with this. You can add in so many more veggies. I've made it using diced up yams, added near the beginning, at the same time as the carrots and onions. I've also added in some diced up cauliflower, and even broccoli. You could add zucchini, mushrooms, really, basically anything you can think of. Also, if you like a little bit of spice, I totally recommend adding in some diced up jalpeños and/or diced green chilis, or even a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
## Yum!
### Don't you want to just dive in?!
