This recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker. The longer it cooks, the more the flavors combine and infuse the dish. If you need to add liquid, add wine, beer or broth instead of water. This enhances the complexity of the final product.
I start this dish with some coarse ground beef, however as mentioned, you could use leftover chicken, turkey, or leave the meat out of it entirely. To do this, simply simmer the leftovers with the onion in a little oil before adding the tomatoes and add the appropriate spices.
- 1 lb. coarse ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
- 5 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 medium potato, diced
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 Tbsp. California chili powder
- 1 tsp. New Mexico chili powder
- 4 tsp. powdered cumin
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup beer
- 1 can chicken or beef broth
Heat a skillet or pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Next, add the onions and ground beef. Season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Stir occasionally until the meat is browned, about 6 minutes. Next, add the garlic, oregano and canned diced tomatoes, including liquid. Allow to simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When and if additional liquid is needed, add some of the broth.
Next, add the beer and wine, sugar, cumin, California chili powder and New Mexico chili powder to taste. Also add the pinto beans, including liquid. Let simmer for at least one hour over low heat and stir frequently. Add broth or other liquid as necessary. After simmering for a total of 2 hours, taste the chile and adjust the seasonings to suit your own taste. Add more cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, jalapeños, serranos or habanero chilis if you really want to add some heat.
This is a very basic recipe and can be modified to your particular taste. You can add some diced celery, parsley or additional spices as desired. Feel free to experiment with your chile recipe until it is to your liking. One final note: The longer you cook your chile the better it will be as the flavors will infuse. Add liquid as necessary during the process of cooking.
Enjoy!
- Yields: 6 servings
- Preparation Time: 2 hours