Beef, Pork, and Bean Chili

Chili with homemade tortilla chips

I have been experimenting with making chili for years now. All of my versions have been close, but something is off. Too spicy, too bland, too many veggies, not enough veggies... the list goes on. I think I have finally found success! After many attempts, I have combined my favorite parts of each batch  and the end result is a well-rounded, spicy but not too spicy, flavorful bowl of chili. If you can handle more heat than me, feel free to add another chipotle pepper. If you are a little nervous about the heat, leave out the chipotle and perhaps add a little adobo sauce at the end to taste. A little goes a long way. The perfect scoopers for this chili are some homemade, crispy tortilla chips. Enjoy! :o)

Beef, Pork and Bean Chili – serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 tbsp. oil

1 ½ lbs. ground beef and pork (we had 1 lb. pork and ½ lb. beef on hand, but any ratio would work fine)

1 green bell pepper, cut into ½ inch dice

2 yellow onions, cut into ½ inch dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped (spicy!)

¼ cup chili powder

1 tbsp. ground cumin

½ tbsp. dried oregano

½ tbsp. smoked sweet paprika

1 12 oz. beer, lager style

1 ½ cups beef stock

1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (15.5 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15.5 oz.) white or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) hominy*, drained

2 tbsp. masa harina **

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add the ground meat, bell pepper, and onion and sauté until meat is browned and veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chipotle, chili powder, cumin, oregano and paprika – coat meat with spices and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add the beer and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to get the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the beef stock and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent from sticking to the bottom. After 45 minutes, add the beans and hominy and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in the masa harina and simmer until desired consistency is reached, 5-10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, or tortilla chips (you can make some homemade ones with the leftover masa harina… yum!).

Notes

* hominy is basically a corn kernal without the hull (skin) or germ. Canned hominy resembles a plump corn kernel that holds up well in soups and stews (the consistency reminds me of a garbanzo bean). They are mild, yet tasty. I recommend trying them!

** masa harina is a very finely ground corn flour mixed with a hint of “limewater” popular in Mexico and South America. It is usually used for making corn tortillas, tamales, and arepas. “Maseca” is a brand that can be found in some chain grocery stores. Adding masa harina to the chili at the end of cooking imparts a subtle corn flavor, and it helps slightly thicken the soup as well. It’s a small ingredient that makes a big difference.