1st chili of the year on the equinox.

in honor of the first day of fall, i made my first batch of chili for the year!  two years ago, i made my first ever batch of chili.  it was a pretty decent first attempt, but i'm still on a search for "our" chili recipe.  this, my friends, is really on its way!  the beef chunks, roasted poblanos, spicy adobo sauce, & hints of cinnamon & clove really make it a little bit special.  & the late addition of shredded cheese certainly doesn't hurt.  enjoy!

porter's chili

{a combination of many recipes & ingredient availability}

2 T evoo

1 T minced garlic

2 large sweet yellow onions, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

2 lb ground chuck

2 lb beef round chunks

6 large poblanos, roasted*, peeled, & chopped

from 1 {7.5oz} can chipotle peppers in adobo, 3 peppers chopped & half of the juice

8 oz diced green chilis

28 oz diced tomatoes, with juice

12 oz tomato paste

30 oz red beans, drained

15 oz pinto beans, drained

16 to 32 oz beef broth {depending on your desired liquid to stuff ratio}

3 T cumin

2T chili powder

2 T brown sugar

1T oregano

1 tsp mustard powder

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp clove

s&p

at the end: 8 oz shredded mexican blend cheese

toppings: yellow mustard & shredded cheddar cheese

{*to roast poblanos: broil directly on oven rack over high heat, turning frequently until all sides are blistered, approx 10 to 20 minutes.  carefully put peppers in a brown paper bag & roll up the top of the bag.  set aside until peppers are cool to the touch.  with your hands, peel the blistered skin off & discard.  remove stems & seeds & chop.}

1. in a very large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  add garlic, onions, bell peppers, & beef.  cook until veggies are soft & meat is fully cooked.

2. add roasted poblanos, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, green chilis, tomatoes, tomato paste, & beans.  stir together.  start adding broth to your desired consistency, keeping in mind the liquid will reduce a bit.  add spices.  

3. bring chili to a boil & reduce heat to medium-low, allowing the chili to simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce a bit.  {warning: this can make a mess.  i encourage you to wear an apron or black.}

4. on low heat, continue cooking your chili, covered, for another couple of hours.  this is a great time to taste & make sure you you love the flavors.  

5. 10 minutes before serving, add 8 oz shredded cheese.  stir often, allowing the cheese to melt but not burn on the bottom of your pan.  to serve, top with shredded cheddar & a little bit of mustard, porter-style.

happy fall!

love love,

kjp.