Quick and Easy Chili

We've all had that wonderful chili that has taken all afternoon to make.  The kind where you can taste the richness of having simmered for hours.  The hearty thickness that comes with taking your time.  Well, sometimes we want chili that good, but we just don't have that time to spend.

This is a super-easy chili with a great depth of flavor that can be ready in about 30 minutes.  With a few simple tricks, you can produce a chili so good that no one will believe you didn't slave all afternoon.

Here's what you'll need:
2-3 TBSP bacon fat (or vegetable oil)
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 pound ground meat (I use 93/7 ground beef)
4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper
1 lg can crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can great northern beans (or canellini or black beans), rinsed and drained
4 rounded tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Ancho chile powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, for serving

Melt the bacon love in a large pot.  Add the onion.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  This will heap the onion to release it's water, and break down quicker.

When the onion has softened, add the ground meat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  (NOT the tsp.)  It's important to season every layer of a dish.  This balances the flavor and ensures you don't have a tasteless, bland dish.

When the meat is browned, add the garlic and mix well.  If you add the garlic too early, it will burn because it has a high sugar content. Add it after the meat and it maintains it's flavor.

Add the tomatoes and the beans.

Chili powder, oregano and Ancho chile powder are standard chili seasonings.

Add the chili, oregano, chile, salt and pepper (the measured amounts).  Stir well.

Cocoa powder and liquid smoke are the secret weapons in this recipe.  Cocoa powder adds a richness and depth of flavor.  The liquid smoke increases the flavor of the meat and helps it smell like you've been working all day.

Stir in the cocoa and liquid smoke.  Bring to a boil, reduce a simmer.  Cover and let cook 15-20 minutes.

Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired.  Serves 5-6.  Will keep in the fridge for about 5 days, but it can also be frozen for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!

Black Beans

Any one who knows me can tell you how much Mexican food I eat.  It's just one of those things that I could eat every day.  A typical side dish is black beans.  People find cooking beans to be a little overwhelming.  If you start out with dry beans, it can be a long process.  I see no problem with using canned beans.  It cuts out the LONG step of soaking and slowly cooking the beans, and lets me get right to the flavoring part.  They can be high in sodium, however, so I buy the reduced sodium variety, and I always rinse them before I use them.  Put them in a colander in the the sink and run them under water until most of the thick stuff is gone, and the water is pretty clear.  Let drain.

For my beans you'll need:
1 TBSP bacon grease or oil
3 cans black beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 can diced green chiles
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken stock or water
3 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp mesquite chipotle powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Warm the bacon grease in a large pot.  Add the onions, green chiles and garlic.  Cook until the onion begins to soften.

Add the drained, rinsed beans and the water to the pot.

Stir in the seasonings, then bring to a boil.

Chop the cilantro.  You don't need to worry about picking each of the leaves from the stems.  Just cut it off where the leaves stop growing from the bulk of the stem, and chop it up.  The little bits of stem that remain are full of flavor and will be undetectable in the beans.

Once the beans boil, reduce to low and cover with a lid.  Allow the beans to simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  They will thicken, and the sauce will reduce.  Remove from heat.

I like my beans to be more mashed, like a refried bean.  I use a potato peeler to smash about half the beans. This gives it a thicker texture.

Just before serving, add the lemon juice and chopped cilantro.

Stir well to allow the flavors to blend.  This recipe makes enough beans for 4 people to eats about 4 times.  So, I freeze the left-overs in 2-cup plastic containers.  Just thaw it in the microwave hen you want it.

Enjoy!