The way we see it, if you’re going to make Chili Con Carne, it should have some carne! We got the idea for this recipe a few years ago when a friend of ours described his chili as having three different kinds of meat. We thought that was overkill until we tasted it. This is my best guess at the recipe (some people are really protective of their recipes…especially chili!) and it’s a hit at every potluck and tailgate. Enjoy over white rice or with your favorite crusty bread.
Ingredients
8 oz Chorizo sausage, cooked and cubed
8 oz stew beef
8 oz pork shoulder, cooked and pulled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablesppons chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 15.5-16 oz can large red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 28 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
Directions
- In a large pot, sweat the onions, garlic, green peppers and jalapeños with the olive oil on high heat. (“Sweat” means to cook vegetables in oil or butter at a very low heat without letting them turn brown.)
- Add the beef cubes and brown. Add the chorizo and pork. Stir.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add in the whole peeled tomatoes, cilantro, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and turmeric. Add the kidney beans and bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. After that time, the tomatoes should start breaking apart. Stir well to break up the tomatoes but expect some large chunks. Break apart any remaining whole tomatoes and stir again. Continue simmering on low heat for another hour. Serve with shredded Monterey jack cheese if desired
The jalapeños and spices should provide an ample amount of heat but if you like a fiery chili, substitute habaneros for the jalapeños or add a packet of five-alarm chili seasoning. It is important to cook the chorizo ahead of time to avoid an unnecessarily greasy chili.
