Susu's Red Chili!

So I usually make white chili but I have been having a "hankering" for some good old fashioned chili.  Now I am not gonna lie!  I'm going to Susu-fy it a little bit but it will STILL feel like a bold, fall game day Saturday Pot of goodness!

This is also an excellent food for healing and inflammation.  While meatless is best, turkey burger is better (and I will put Venison here as equal) and last resort for the anti-inflammation train would be beef steak chunks or ground beef that is extremely lean!

I use my Vitamix blender  but you can chop by hand or use a food processor to make this base.  I use:

1        sweet onion
3        sections of fresh garlic, first smashed then chopped. Fresh is  best!
4        fresh tomatoes.  Canned if you don't have them but fresh is better!
1        small red, orange or yellow pepper or a combination of all for color!
1         can Hatch mild green chili.  Two cans are better!
1          can or fresh mushrooms
            (I saute my onions and mushrooms sometimes first then mix.)

So go ahead and mix all that up!  And leave it there.   Then go get your big stock pan and add olive oil to brown your meat choice. I always put some salt and pepper as well as ancho chili powder and garlic salt in with the meat.  Makes it smell better and I like layering spice! (Skip this step if going meatless!)  You can drain the fat made during this process if you desire.

Now it's time to take the blender stuff and add it into the meat.  Add a can of chicken stock to the mix at this point as well.  And this is where it gets good!!!!  Grab a bottle of beer (gluten free) and add to the mix. Use your judgment on how much.  You can adjust the liquids by using more or less of whatever you choose but the beer is important to the flavor so add just enough chicken stock to keep liquid level good.

Let all of this start cooking on a very low heat.  Slow and steady is better than burned.  This can also be dumped into a crockpot and left to simmer all day after the meat is browned.  Now you want to add beans.  I am not a fan of the traditional Kidney and or Navy bean so I use Great Northern and Pinto.  Sometimes black beans.  You decide because this is YOUR chili!  Then take a can of Refried beans and add that to the mix. This helps thicken but imparts flavor as well.

I am horrible about amounts of spices to add. I like spicy (as in flavorful not HOT) chili so I add quite a bit.  Not as much of one as another……..so again, this is where you get to decide.  Try keeping the ratios though.  Not as much cumin as the chilis or it is more Mexican than you want.

I also add Garlic salt even though I have used fresh garlic.  Each has a unique flavor profile and I think it’s important.  Okay so maybe a half teaspoon of garlic salt, half to two thirds teaspoon of cumin, quarter to half teaspoon cayenne, whole teaspoon of smoked paprika (or whatever kind you have! ), whole teaspoon of  oregano, a half teaspoon of turmeric ( I know that this is a middle eastern spice but it is the number one anti-inflammatory spice and you just need to use it.  This much won’t even be tasted!)  And at least a whole teaspoon of Ancho Chili Powder. I use a lot more.  Also add salt (I use Himalayan pink salt) and pepper again.

Now you let the chili kind of simmer for a long while.  This part is sometimes easier in a crock pot because it rarely burns.  Keep track of it on the stove because you don’t want it to burn.  Taste as needed and adjust spice levels.  If it is still too liquid (I like mine thick) you can add a roux to it. (melt butter in a pan, add gluten free flour to it and then when it smells nutty add some half and half or milk).  

When you are ready to eat this you can garnish with what you want.  I use a few tortilla chips (since I can no longer eat saltines!), shredded cheese and sour cream.  YUM!