Kitchen Wench

Well, maybe not ever, but it’s definitely the best chili I’ve ever made. This chili is more of a Mexican mole-inspired flavor. It also contains some of the best things in life–bacon, beer, coffee, and chocolate–and you can taste all of them in the final product. There is a little heat, but not so much that its overpowering. This is a bit different from traditional chili, but I think it’s delicious and well worth the effort.

Buffalo Three Bean Chili

I adapted my version from this recipe and this recipe.

• 4 Vidalia or yellow onions, diced
• 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 strips of bacon, sliced into 1″ pieces
• 3 lbs ground buffalo
• 2 1/2 lbs sirloin, cut into 1″ cubes
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes
• 2 (6 oz) cans of tomato paste
• 3 (12 oz) bottles of dark beer (I used 1 Porter and 2 Dopplebock)
• 2 cups strong coffee
• 4 1/2 cups of low sodium beef stock or broth
• 4 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp Penzy’s regular chili powder
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp dried toasted onion
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 4 tsp hot sauce, such as Cajun Sunshine or Tabasco
• 6 canned chipotle chilies in Adobo sauce, 4 seeded, 2 with seeds,  diced
• 3 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and diced
• 3 dried California chiles (aka dried Anaheim chiles), pureed
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
• 2 (15 oz) cans red beans
• 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans

This recipe makes about 10 quarts of chili, so you will either need a really big pot or you can split the recipe between two pots.

1. Prepare the California chile puree.  Remove stems and seeds.  Cut or tear chilies into 1″ pieces and soak in boiling water until soft.  Puree chilies using a food processor or stick blender.  Strain puree through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any tough pieces of skin.

2. Cook bacon on medium-low heat until the meat is crisp and fat has been rendered.  Remove bacon from pan and allow to drain on paper towels.  Add onions and cook until softened, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for a few minutes more, until garlic is soft but not browned.

3. If your pot is big enough, add the buffalo and sirloin to the onion mixture.  You may need to add some  vegetable oil to the pan.  If your pot is too small, remove the onions and garlic and then brown the meat in small batches. Once all the meat is browned, add the onions and garlic back to the pan.

4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, coffee, beer, and beef broth.  Bring up to a simmer then add the spices, sugar, salt, chocolate, and chiles.  Reduce heat to low and add the beans and bacon.  Very gently simmer the chili for 2-4 hours.  For optimum flavor, let chili cool overnight and serve the next day.  If chili becomes too thick, you can thin it with some additional broth or water.