Sorry for the long delay between posts. The holidays had me stuffed and busy and I couldn't think of a good recipe to share.
Today, I'm sharing a great winter recipe: chili! YAY! Not just any chili though, there's bacon in it. Brace your stomachs, it could be a pretty rough ride.
Firstly, I need you to take a look at this glorious chunk of pork I got from my butcher.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is called slab bacon. It's basically smoked and cured bacon with the skin left on. Most butchers will have it in a "secret compartment", but just ask for it, or get to know them well and they'll just offer it to you. That chunk right there is about twice the amount we will need. If you can't get it, or aren't interested, just sub in some bacon slices, but let me tell you: slab bacon is worth it.
So, cut the skin off the bottom and cut the bacon into small cubes.
You actually want the bacon about half that size, I cut it further. Now, throw it in a big pot with just a little olive oil.
Let the bacon render its fat and crisp up for you. It can take a few minutes. While it's going, or before that, you need to chop up some onions, garlic, pablano and jalapeno. Notice the fine dice on the jalapeno, that's important, biting in to a big chunk of that pepper would not be pleasant. Remove all the seeds to, it will stop your eyes from watering when you're eating.
When the bacon is crisp, remove it to a plate with a paper towel on it, to allow the bacon pieces to drain. Throw in all of those veggies (except the garlic) and let them cook together with some salt and pepper.
When the onion starts to get tender, put in the garlic and some cumin, then let it go on medium heat for just a few minutes. It should smell like cumin, garlic and wonderful.
Perfect! Now it's time for some ground beef. I used 100% ground chuck, but you can use whatever is most available to you. You could even substitute ground turkey, but only if you actually care about your heart.
Make sure to season again at this point. That means more salt, pepper and cumin. I'll give you a good idea of how much at the end. Seasoning here comes in three stages.
If you don't want the beef drippings in your chili, feel free to cook the beef separately, or cook it first, then take out the beef, pour out the drippings, and then start the bacon. It's all up to you here. I personally like having the beef and pork drippings together, it screams unnatural.
So, once the meat is browned up, it's time to add in the liquid and beans.
I used two big cans of crushed tomatoes and two cans of red kidney beans. They're fancy. You can use whatever kind of red or black bean catches your eye. White beans would be fine too, but I think red is the best here for color purposes.
So, open the cans and pour those babies in. Just like before when we added something in, we season again. Salt, pepper, cumin. You know the drill by now. I promise, your patient seasoning will be rewarded. I also add in about a tomato can's worth of water, just to clean all of the red goup out of the cans.
Yum! It looks so good, and it hasn't even simmered yet. I would leave the heat on medium for about 15 minutes at this point, just to get those tomatoes boiling. COVER THE POT, or you will be covered in tomato! Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for an hour and a half. Leave the cover on for maybe the first 15 minutes, then remove it. These flavors need to, need to, need to marry for your chili to be perfect, and the only way to do that is to cook it low and slow.
After about 45 minutes your kitchen will smell so good that you will hardly be able to wait. I mean, you haven't even added in the good stuff yet.
YES! After the hour and a half is up, dump that bacon right in there and try not to drool in to the pot. This is the part where I make rice and grate some cheese. When I'm done with that, it's been about 15 minutes and I turn the chili off.
Scoop some rice in a bowl, pour a ladelful or two (or three) of chili on top with a dollop of sour cream and plenty of sharp cheddar. You'll be in heaven, I promise. Every bite of bacon you encounter will be like angels singing directly above you. I had to close my eyes and shiver every time. I can only imagine how good the leftovers will be.
It photographs beautifully too. Make sure you do some cardio the day after, I don't want any doctors after me.
Here's the recipe so that you guys can enjoy it on your own.
EDIT: I forgot which spoon I used, and just realized that all of the measurements in the recipe were in teaspoons, not tablespoons. 3 tablespoons of salt is WAY too much.
Heartstopping Bacon Chili
1 lb ground chuck
1/4 lb slab bacon, cut in cubes (or 2-3 slices of bacon)
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 pablano pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced finely
2 cans crushed tomatoes
2 - 14 oz cans red beans, drained
about 28 oz water
3 tsp salt (divided in thirds)
1 1/2 tsp pepper (divided in thirds)
about 3 tsp cumin (divided in thirds)
1. Put olive oil and bacon in a pot and allow the bacon to render over medium heat. It will take about 3-5 minutes, make sure you are watching. When it is finished, take out the bacon, leaving the drippings.
2. Cook peppers and onions in the drippings until the onions are soft and the peppers are fragrant, adding the first round of salt and pepper during the process.
3. Put in garlic and first round of cumin and let cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Add in ground beef and the second round of salt, pepper and cumin. Cook until meat it browned, but not over done.
5. Pour in tomatoes, drained beans and water. Season with the third round of each spice. Let cook, covered, over medium heat for about fifteen minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
6. After an additional 15 minutes, you may remove the lid. Let simmer for another 90 minutes.
7. Add in the bacon, which is now drained and let simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
Enjoy! I know you will.
This looks great, Tim!! =)
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