MGwerks' chili recipes

[mgwerks]

This first one is my heritage chili recipe. It hearkens back to the chili made long ago by folks on the trail, or those of little means. Note the absence of both beans and tomato products. It can be a bit spicy, what with the all the chile products - you may adjust them either way.

Enjoy!

Mark


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CARNE CON CHILES Y CERVEZA

INGREDIENTS:
3 T olive oil
2 large sweet onions, diced fine
3 Poblano peppers, seeded and diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 t kosher salt
4.5 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed and in 1" cubes
2 bay leaves
1/4 C New Mexico chile powder
4t chipotle (or cayenne) chili powder
4t ground cumin
12 oz. good Mexican beer
2 qt. beef broth

Note:
At no time does this recipe, or any other true chili recipe, call for the inclusion of beans. If need be, good pinto beans may be served on the side.

METHOD:
1. Heat 2T oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook onions until soft, add Poblanos and cook until soft, reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning. Add garlic and salt, cook 5 more minutes.

2. Heat remaining oil in Dutch oven, add beef in batches, browning well on all sides. Return all beef to pot, add remaining spices until they form a thick paste on meat. De-glaze with ale.

3. Add broth to Dutch oven, cover loosely and simmer until meat is tender (~3 hours).

4. Remove 2C of beef chunks with slotted spoon, shred with fork and return to pot along with pepper/onion skillet mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Uncover Dutch oven and reduce liquid to desired consistency.

Serve with Pico de Gallo (recipe follows) on top of chili for garnish.



PICO DE GALLO
1/2 red onion, minced
6 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2C fresh cilantro, minced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely minced (or try using the Green Tabasco sauce)
1T lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste

Combine and chill before service.

La comida mas fina!

[JamesB]

Now that sounds good! Thanks!

[mgwerks]

This is actually a stew based on a Navajo dish. Not quite a chili, nor a stew. Pretty good stuff though. One thing a fiend adds is cubed squash as well.

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LAS COLINAS GREEN CHILE STEW

INGREDIENTS:
4 strips bacon
1 lb cubed pork or beef
5 cloves garlic, diced
2 onions, chopped
1 can beer, stale
5 bay leaves
dash vinegar
1 t cumin seed
2 T dried leaf oregano
3 potatoes, cubed
1 t sugar
2 C peeled and roasted poblano or other large green chiles, in approx. 1-2" pieces
salt
ground black pepper
water (or stock) to cover

METHOD:
1. Make the base:
Fry bacon in heavy pan. Remove and reserve crisp bacon. Brown cubed meat in remaining bacon fat. Add garlic and onion, sauteing until onion begins to brown.

2. Start the stew:
Add beer, bay leaves, vinegar, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until meat starts getting tender, 1-2 hours.

3. Finish the stew:
Add potatoes, sugar and water/stock to cover. When potatoes get tender, add green chiles. Simmer another 5-10 minutes and serve.

4. Service:
Garnish stew with reserved bacon and serve with heated flour tortillas. Other garnishes that work include sour cream, pico de gallo (as always), wedges of lime and minced cilantro.

Salud!

[bowhnter]

I bet I haven't had a bowl of chili without beans more than 3 times in my life, and Papa Tom's pork chili was one of them (don't worry PT, I have that recipe under lock and key )

It's just me and my wife, so I would have to cut that top one down, but would like to give it a try too soon.