Chili Downunder A.K.A.This-Should-Win-an-Award-Chili

I live in Texas where any cook worth anything has a chili recipe that they’ve developed along the way or inherited from a family member.  Making chili can get right down competitive as evidenced by the number of chili cook offs and contests held throughout the state.

I’ve held off ever entering one primarily because I didn’t feel worthy to do so as I’m not a native Texan and always felt that somehow this made you better qualified to enter and compete against master chili makers. It has also taken me awhile to develop a recipe that receives my handsome half’s highest acclaim of “this is pretty good.” I know he means it when he asks for leftover chili as he normally turns up his nose at leftovers of any kind.

So, this year  – after having finally developed a recipe for “this is pretty good” chili, I felt emboldened to enter a chili cook-off.  I’ll admit that I was a bit perplexed when I didn’t even place in the cook-off. But I really didn’t mind as I had folks coming back for seconds and thirds.  So, I wasn’t disappointed at not winning/placing but was rather gratified that I had cooked a chili that seemed to be a real crowd pleaser.

Here’s my recipe.  I call it “Chili Down Under” because I use an Australian beer, Foster’s, as one of the key ingredients. That may be heresy here in Texas – to use an Australian beer – but it sure makes for a different recipe name!

Chili Down Under
or
This Should Win an Award Chili 

1 pound of pork: finely cubed, fine diced or stir fry slices OR you could use 1 pound of pork sausage.  I prefer using regular pork – you may have to ask a butcher to cut/slice it up to get the right texture for the chili.  The cut/slice you want is either “fine diced” or “stir fry.” It’ll look like shreds of pork.

6 pounds of either lean beef stew meat or lean chuck roast: finely cubed, fine diced or stir fry slices. You may have to ask a butcher to cut/slice it up to get the right texture for the chili.  The cut/slice you want is either “fine diced” or “stir fry.” It’ll look like shreds of beef.

1 – 2 TBSPS. bacon drippings

2 onions – finely chopped

1 jalapeño (seeded and finely diced)

2 – 3 large tomatoes (2 cups) – finely chopped

1 4 ounce can of mild green chilies

2 bell peppers – seeded and finely diced/chopped

2 1 ounce packages of chili seasoning mix

2 4 ¾ ounce cans of tomato puree OR 1 10 ½ ounce can

2 ½ TBSPS. ground cumin

1 TBSP. smoked paprika

2 tsps. red pepper flakes

2 tsps. cayenne pepper

1 TBSP. salt

2 tsps. ground black pepper

5 cloves chopped garlic

2 tsps. fine herbes

1 25 ounce can of  Foster’s Premium Ale

4 TBSPS. masa harina

Brown pork and beef in bacon drippings.  Add onions and cook until they are transparent. Add remaining ingredients except for the masa harina and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 3 hours.  Sprinkle with masa harina, stir well, bring to a boil again and simmer until thickened.

This chili is best when made one day, re-heated and served the next.