This good, hearty, Southwestern chili will warm you up and put a smile on your face with a touch of spicy and a load of flavor. For the purists on either side of the chili debate: this chili has beans! (and it also has wine :)
As with all good soups, stews and chilies, left overs only get better as the spices infuse over time. Should you have a lot of leftovers, it freezes well if you give it time to thaw.
There is wine in this recipe, so the good news is that you'll have an opened bottle on hand when ready to eat!
Jalapenos are a tricky pepper. One batch will be as tame as a green bell pepper, another will be crazy hot and painful to rub your eyes for hours after cleaning. Consequently, take a sample bite early, and measure +/- peppers accordingly in the recipe to suit your preference.
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 100 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage (about 3 links), casings removed. Use hot Italian vs. sweet/mild if you like it more spicy.
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
4 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp tomato paste (about 2/3 of a small can)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 cups Merlot or other red wine
2 x 28-oz cans diced tomatoes
2 x 15-oz cans kidney beans, drained
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
Directions
Heat a large saucepan or stock pot on medium-high heat, and add beef through jalapeno(s). Cook about 8-10 minutes, until the sausage and beef are browned and crumbling.
Add chili powder through bay leaves, stirring constantly for a good minute. Be forewarned how good it will smell!
Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Cook uncovered 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Discard the bay leaves and serve into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese as desired.
Tags: #chili #beef #pork #southwest #stew
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