[willy]

Willy's Chili - got a cast iron dutch oven going right now

Let me just say I have tried a lot of good chili, made many varieties myself, more standard types like mentioned often with beans of one kind or another.
They are all good, blondes, brunettes, red heads you know.

But when I want Chili, I make it like it is made where it came from. Texas.
Venison and or stew chuck is my preferred.
-Depending on how many mouths 2-6 pounds. Cubed in small pieces, usually less than an inch cubed.
-One jar of La Costena Salsa Ranchera (medium) really good if you can find it, small bits not big chunks.
-One can La Costena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. Only use a few of these as they are spicy and delicious. Do not add much other items with heavy heat .
-5-6 depending on size Jalapeno or other fresh hot pepper you like, I use Habanero's a lot when I make it for the camp. No ladies present. Slit them up the middle, use your fingers and push out all seeds. Then slice them up thin and chop up.
WASH YOUR HANDS NEXT, DO NOT PASS GO, COLLECT TWO HUNDRED, WASH YOUR HANDS.
(There my good deed for the day)
In a big cast iron pot get it good and hot with some light olive oil or similar in the bottom, just a little, if you like to add some sausage meat put that in first and skip the oil.
Whichever meat you are using do not cook it, put it in in small batches and cook it very hot and you only want to just grey it, not cook it. A little red showing slightly on a few pieces is perfect.
Drain out your batches in a colander in the sink, leave it there to drain.
Next take these ingredients you have prepared on the side
- 1 whole onion diced up
-your cut up Jalepeno''s
-1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper
-3 cloves of fresh garlic chopped up
-1 tbsp olive oil to start it off
Put all these in the cast iron pot at the same time, as the onions start to get translucent pour in 1/4 to 1/2 bottle of a decent regular Ale (beer) I use a recipe of three Rolling Rock little nips for me and one for the pot.
-Use a wooden flat edge spatula to scrape the bottom deglazing all the bits and pieces off the bottom.
-now put your meat back in, mix all up and add the following
-1 to 11/2 tbsp ground cummin
-1 tbsp of a good Smoked Paprika (highly recommended)
-1 tsp sea salt
-1 1/2 cup beef broth
-your Chipotle Peppers, remember not too many, and I sometimes remove all but one after it cooks down for half an hour.
-1 12oz can of crushed tomatoes, not chunks, crushed.

Allow to simmer for at least an hour, the longer the better though, even better for lunch the next day.
Adjust the heat now if you want to perk it up, but I don't think you will.
If is is a little to liquidy after simmering take a couple of tbsp of corn meal and dissolve in a half a cup of warm water and add to the pot and let it simmer awhile.
I do this anyhow cause I like it to stick to the spoon well and to a piece of good crusty Italian of French Bread.

You can add some sides to top it off like some do, I do not. Though a good sharp cheddar shredded on top is good.
Eating it with a good corn chip instead of a spoon is also nice and what I do in hunting camp a lot.

Now for a little trick I do, some do it if the chili is too hot, but I do it because it leaves the incredible spice flavor but eliminates a lot of the burn sensation from the spices and peppers, take a lime and squeeze the juices from it right into the pot towards the end of cooking time. Keep that secret to yourselves though.

Willy's Texas Chili , enjoy