Traditions: First Frost Chili

For a few years now there has been a common conversation in our house. My wife asks if it is time for Chili and I say no... I’ll make it after we have our first frost. However I do not really play by a set recipie when it is time to cook. More like a set of guidelines and following my nostrils. 

Sometimes it works out fantastic.... other times.... yeah. Nothing ventured nothing gained and all that. Here is how this years varient turned out. 

Started out with:

• 1 28 oz can Hunts tomato sauce
• 1 28 oz can Hunts diced oregano and garlic tomato
• 1 14 oz can Hunts diced oregano and garlic tomato sauce
• Ended up getting another 14 oz can of sauce and a 14 oz can of plain diced as well.  
• 2 bell peppers
• 4 small onions... like 1 and half decent sized ones. 
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound Jimmy Deans sage sausage
• 1 brown bag blue ribbon chili mix (also use Shelby’s a lot)
• Small jar of minced garlic
• 1 can low sodium kidney beans
• 1 can low sodium pinto beans
• Pinch of sugar... like two fingers pinched in the container. 
• Various other seaonings listed in steps.. but in general salt, pepper, garlic (if not using minced), cayenne, ancho chili powder, jalepano salt, cinnamon and bay leaves

Cooking:

1. All cans of tomato in a big vat to boil
1. Season with some of the bag of chili mix... maybe half
2. Add salt (generally use kosher and a big pinch or two), black pepper and a dollop or two of minced garlic
3. Cayenne pepper
4. Ancho chili powder
5. Jalepeno salt
6. Bay leaves
2. Half stick of butter in skillet, toss in diced up onion (this is happening at the same time as the base is cooking)
1. Season onion with salt, pepper, minced garlic (spoon full)
3. Add diced bell pepper to onion
1. Cooking on med to high heat till onion starts getting translucent... not wanting to burn but a little carmalizing is good. 
4. Get base taste at least in the right neighborhood. I prefer a little to the hotter side as I start with less than the pot will contain and then add until I get it right vs adding to a full pot and possible overshooting. 
5. Add onions and bell pepper mix and keep on simmer
6. Other half of the butter stick into the skillet (don’t clean it)
7. Add meat to skillet and season and brown meat. I used the rest of the pre packaged seasoning I had and usual pinch or three of salt, black pepper, jalepeno salt. The meat should taste good by itself but I normally do not go for much heat
8. While the meat is simmering open the beans and rinse them well in a colander in the sink with cold water. Get all the can gunk off them. If you have time soaking some beans ahead of time overnight is better but I have found as long as you rinse them well it does not make a huge difference using canned. 
1. Once rinsed add to base
9. Drain the meat
10. Drain it some more
11. Really.... drain it. Lean beef is easy to deal with but the sausage has a tonn of grease to get rid of.
12. Add meat to base slowly to desired meat level. I added about 2/3rds at this point
13. Stir and simmer for a few moments and taste. I had been a bit heavy on the various hot spices so...
1. Used some beef bullion and about 8 oz of water to thin mixture a bit (was about half a small can of tomato sauce... mixed in all the cans to get any remaining sauce out of them)
2. Used masa flour to thicken back up as needed. Generally dust top of sauce evenly, mix in and simmer for a bit before adding more. 
3. Wasn’t enough...

Rest of it:

• 1 14 oz can of Hunts sauce
• 1 14 oz can of Hunts diced tomato (no additional seasoning) 
• And I got the sour cream and saltines I forgot earlier... 

14. Added two additional cans of tomato and the rest of the meat. 
15. More Masa to desired consistency... I like a hearty spoon full that is thicker than a ‘stew’. 
16. Simmer down now... just simmer down now. I had no specific timer. Started a little after three and was done by about five. Made some rice at this point and when the rice was done turned it all off. 

Notes:

I don’t have measures on seasonings to use. Hot spices where a lot lighter than the salt and pepper. The cinnamon was very light and I still almost used to much... haven’t used it before but I have had some good chili’s with it so it was this years experiment. I used a pinch of sugar in there as well to cut some of the acidity... not something I typically do. Literally pinch. 

Served above over a bed of white rice cooked with a handful of chopped cilantro, sprinkled with shredded sharp cheddar and a small dot of sour cream. Was VERY good.