Chili Night

This was a new recipe for me - I made a double batch - and boy am I glad I did. This chili was deeee-licious. This recipe is based on one I found in Gourmet a long time ago called Spicy Princeton Junction Chili (it's not on epicurious.com).

The recipe below is for a single batch, but I recommend doubling it and putting some away in the freezer for later.



Beef and Pork Chipotle Chili

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder (I used Penzey's medium chili powder)
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used Progresso)
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 cups cooked kidney beans (for those of you trying to cook dry beans at home - 1/2 pound of kidney beans are perfect, for those of you not cooking them from scratch: 3 large cans of cooked beans, rinsed, will work fine)

In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic over medium-high heat until translucent (about 10 minutes), then add the chili powder, chipotles and oregano and saute for another minute. Put the onions into a large dutch oven or stockpot.

Brown the pork and beef, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks (depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to do this in two batches - you will have to do this in two batches if you double the recipe). Drain any fat off the meat and add it to the onions in the dutch oven.

Add the chocolate, tomatoes and broth to the pot. Bring the chili to a simmer and let it simmer for about 1 hour. Add the beans to the pot and simmer another 30 minutes.

Adjust salt to taste. The beef broth is salty, so you may need less salt than you need. If you use canned beans, they will be salty as well, so take heed not to overdo the salt.

Garnish with grated cheese, chopped olives, sliced scallions, salsa, etc. Serve alongside with corn chips or corn bread.