Hi friends, it’s Jason again, back for round two of our February chili series. How did you like my white bean turkey chili last week? Today we are going with something a bit more conventional, but tweaking it with chipotle peppers. Though we don’t use them often, we like to keep a can around for days when we want something smoky. Some nice thick chili seemed like the perfect candidate.
What are chipotle peppers?
Chipotles are specially prepared jalepenõ peppers. The green jalepenõs you are used to seeing in your produce department are immature. In preparing chipotles, these are left on the bush until Fall, when they ripen to a deep red color. They are then smoked for several days, taking the moisture content down from around 90% to 6%. The traditional wood used in Mexico is pecan, but fruit woods are popular as well. The process dates back to the Aztec times. You can find chipotles in several forms at your local grocery store. Sometimes we use powdered chipotles, or whole dried peppers. For this dish, we are using canned chipotles in adobo sauce, a marinade of tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, spices and salt.
Ingredients
Ground beef and pork – You can pick one or the other, but I like mixing meats in my chilis. Beans – I used kidney and pinto for this one, but feel free to experiment. Diced canned tomatoes – A chili staple. Tomato Paste – For a more concentrated tomato flavor. Chipotles in adobo sauce – Hence the name of the recipe. Onion – You can omit it, you won’t hurt my feelings. Garlic – A good bit of it. Fresh jalepenõ – For a little more kick. Beef broth – This chili has many layers of flavor. Chili powder – A must. Cumin powder – Another staple of chilis. Salt
Instructions
This is going to be pretty easy. First, chop your onion, garlic and jalepenõ. Heat some cooking oil in a large dutch oven, add your veggies and sauté a few minutes. Next add the meats, along with 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is slightly browned. Add the chili and cumin powders and mix well, making sure the meat is nicely coated. Finally chop your chipotles and mix in, along with beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes plus, uncovered. Taste periodically and add salt if you like, or more spices depending on your preference. As Alpana is fond of saying, taste and adjust.
Frequently asked questions
Serving Suggestions
If you ask me, some nice cornbread is a must to accompany this chili… with lots of butter. I like to cook mine in a cast iron skillet with bacon grease. A green salad also goes well. I usually use a creamy dressing, such as blue cheese, to balance out the tanginess of the chili. Or you could try our zucchini carrot salad with Catalina dressing. As for garnishings, shredded cheese tops the list. Sharp cheddar is a great choice, or to accentuate the smokiness you can try smoked Gouda. Other options include sour cream, chopped onions, cilantro or avocado. Please let me know how you enjoy my smoky chipotle chili. Next Monday I will be cooking up something for our vegetarian followers. In the mean time, I hear Alpana has a special Valentines dish coming up in the next couple of days. Stay tuned…
Smoky chipotle chili, in our Gypsy Bowl… enjoy!
Serve with cornbread and a salad. Alternately, you can cook this chili in a crock pot. Sauté veggies, add meat and brown. Then add all ingredients to crock pot and cook for 7-8 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.
