AAB's Grilled Chili

[Ask-A-Butcher]

Ask-A-Butcher’s “Grilled Chili”


1 large onion, quartered
5-6 garlic cloves, peeled
3-4 Jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded (seeding is optional)
1 each Red & Green Bell pepper, halved and seeded
6-8 good sized button mushrooms, stem on
1½ lbs of Ground Chuck, formed into a loaf or six patties
1½ lbs of bulk hot or sweet Italian sausage, formed into a loaf or six patties

2 TBS olive oil
1-14 oz can of Italian style stewed tomatoes, drained
2-14 oz (or 1-28 oz) cans of diced tomatoes with garlic, NOT drained
1-6 oz can of tomato paste
1-16 oz jar of your favorite picante sauce or salsa
2 TBS smoked paprika
1 TBS cocoa powder
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS Mexican oregano

1-16 oz bottle/can of beer, as needed for consistency
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

2-3 16 oz cans of red kidney beans, OPTIONAL*
Any left over meat and/or vegetables from your refrigerator, OPTIONAL*

Note: all ingredients and amounts are up to your discretion and tastes at the time of making.

Season the first seven ingredients lightly with salt and pepper. Take them to your grill and smoke them indirect (away from the heat source) for about one hour at 250° with some Mesquite chunks or chips. Remove from the grill and let set until cool enough to handle.

Chop and dice all grilled ingredients and put into a large pot with the 2 TBS of olive oil. Cook on medium until all meat is done. Drain, if needed.

Add the next eight ingredients to the pot, stir well and gently heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower heat to a simmer and cook uncovered 2-3 hours.*

If needed, add beer to keep your desired consistency. Taste often and add salt, pepper, hot sauce to your acquired taste.

*Optional: add beans, if that is your thing, and the other left over items, if desired.

[QSis]

WHOA!!! Okay, I have everything but the bell peppers, which I will pick up this weekend. Definitely making this!!!

Thanks, Butcher!!

Lee

[Jeekinz]

Printed........

[QSis]

I made this chili over two days this past weekend! Great!

(Oops, sloppy-looking bowl in the last picture!)

Lee

[pacanis]

Cool. This caught my eye, too, even though I'm not a smoker.
Great pics!

Does it add a depth to the chili? Would you say it is worth the effort to do every time you make chili? Or maybe once in a while just because it seems like a unique way to prepare the ingredients?

[QSis]

Originally Posted by pacanis

Or maybe once in a while just because it seems like a unique way to prepare the ingredients?

The latter, Fred.

Lee

[pacanis]

Thanks. It does make preparing chili more of an event.
And events are good once in a while

[kmcgra]

Looks good. Interesting that you used cocoa as an ingredient. Is this a common practice?

(I am a chili newbie) But interested in learning. Our city has an annual chili cook-off, and I have dreamed of entering at times. I have been to it, and a lot of the chili's that I have tried are not too special. I make a pretty mean green chili, which I think would perform well.

[Ask-A-Butcher]

Originally Posted by kmcgra

Looks good. Interesting that you used cocoa as an ingredient. Is this a common practice?

In Cincinnati Style Chili it's certainly common practice and a staple, along with chocolate.

I'm not very conventional when it comes to chili, stews or soups....I like to add what ever I have on hand at the time and what ever mood I'm in :)

I like the 'grilled/smoked' chili as I happen to have the grill going about 5 times a week.

[Ask-A-Butcher]

OK, here is the chili fixins.....Ground Chuck, Eyetalian sausage, red & yellow peppers, some garlic, some sliced porto's and my last Vidalia onion



After an hour at 250° with some hickory smoke



Here is the chili with added left over pork tenderloin, plus the tail/lip from last nights rib trimming.



With a little Taco Cheese. Velly velly tasty :)