I was going to start this post with “When the weather starts to cool off, I always get the urge for some hot, hearty, spicy chili. And- what’s more American than Chili?” Then, immediately I thought, “well that’s dumb. Wait, is chili American?” I felt silly for even questioning the origins of the popular dish, but the more I thought about it the more I was curious. So, I did a little research. I read several articles and blogs- and it appears the history of chili is ultimately unclear, but this site had some interesting theories. http://www.nationalchiliday.com/chili-history.html#.VihBznuISZ8
Did you know that there is a National Chili day? (February 26th). Well, lesbehonest. Nowadays there’s a national day for everything. So, why should it surprise me? But hey, I’m not mad. For I am a lover of chili! Let’s celebrate early with this recipe, shall we?
Everyone in my house likes spicy, so when I went to make chili this time (I’ve never used a recipe when making chili, I just throw some shit in the pot!) I carefully calculated what ingredients I would add to sass it up. I decided I would go with Chorizo and a can of Chipotle salsa for my spice factor. (This is in the Mexican food section, with the Adobos in Chili sauce, and other canned Mexican sauces, not the “salsa” section. I used “San Marcos” brand.)
For this recipe, I used Founder’s Breakfast Stout. Aaron is a beer connoisseur and we both figured it would go great with some spicy aspects in a chili. This beer has some great chocolate and coffee hints, so if you can’t fin it in the store, you could use any porter or stout as a substitute.
I always like to pour my chili over some noodles (for this recipe I chose macaroni) and top with cheese, sour cream, chopped white onion and jalapeno for an extra kick.
Also, you should totally save a beer to drink with the chili. Just sayin’.
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb Hot ground Chorizo
- 1 -large onion, chopped
- 1-29 oz can Whole Kernel Corn (drained)
- 2-16 oz cans Red Kidney Beans (drained)
- 2- 6 oz cans tomato paste
- 1- 28 oz can petite diced tomato (not drained)
- 1-7 oz. can Chipotle Salsa (San Marcos brand)
- Sauce from 1 7 oz can of Chiles in Adobo (taste this first before you pour it all in- it's very spicy so just add to your liking!)
- 2 heaping Tbsp minced garlic
- EVOO and Spicy Chili oil for sauteing meat
- 1- 2.25 oz package Cincinnati Recipe Chili Mix
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 2 c water
- 1-12 oz bottle Founders Breakfast Stout
- 1-1 lb box elbow macaroni
- freshly shredded cheddar
- sour cream
- chives or green onions
- minced white onion
- jalapeno slices
- Cook pasta according to directions on box and set aside.
- Brown chorizo and beef together in skillet in hot EVOO and Chili Oil (optional- see notes)
- Once browned, remove from heat and drain. Leave about a tablespoon of grease in the skillet.
- Add onions and garlic to left over oil and grease in skillet. Stir occasionally until onions begin to brown.
- Add meat and onions into stew pot.
- Add the rest of the ingredients beginning with the Stout, tomato paste, and Chipotle salsa, and chiles in Adobo sauce.
- Add in beans, corn and tomatos.
- Cook on low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Top with desired amount of shredded cheddar, chives and sour cream (and jalapenos in my case!)
- I use the chili oil from jarred Giadarneria peppers, and put it in an olive oil bottle. It's nice and spicy, and great for browning meats and sauteing veggies if you want a spicy kick. This of course, is optional.
- I typically leave my pasta off to the side, and dish the chili over the top of it immediately before serving.
- Also, this might seem like a large quantity of corn for a chili recipe. I just personally like corn! You might want to cut the corn in half- and use only one regular sized can.
What’s your secret chili ingredient? I’d love to hear! Please share below in the comments section!
