Spicy and Smoky Crockpot Chili Topped with Fresh Veggies and Aged English Cheddar
Fall, football, tailgates, rainy days inside, comfort food, pot luck dinners with friends. Chili is perfect for any said occasions. But instead of buying a couple quarts from the grocery store (or even worse...Wendy's), you can throw a few ingredients in a pot, leave it overnight, and you've got instant happiness by the ladleful...
Start by turning your crockpot to the highest heat (mine equates high heat to less cooking time, so I put it on 4 hours), and pouring in one 28oz. can of tomato puree, one 6oz. can of tomato paste, and 3/4 28oz. can petite diced tomatoes. Next, you will need 2 cans of dark red kidney beans, 2 cans of cannellini beans, 1 can of black beans, and 1 can of white and yellow corn. (I prefer using canned beans because it eliminates time and an extra step, but dried beans work perfectly. I recommend seasoning your soaking water with garlic powder and spices or using chicken stock to re-hydrate your beans.) Use a mesh strainer to thoroughly rinse your beans and corn under cold water; this gets rid of any added salt and starch from the water they're packed in. Plus, if you kept the canning liquid, you'd overflow your crockpot! Throw everyone into the pool.
Next you need to add your fresh vegetables to the pot: 2 seeded and diced jalapeños (keep the seeds if you like it really spicy), 2 large diced yellow onions, and 4 minced garlic cloves. Then add your meat: I used 1lb of angus ground beef (97/3 fat count), and 1lb of ground pork (80/20 fat count). The last thing is to add your flavorings. Mix 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 20oz. of Heineken or another pale lager (why use water when you can use beer?), 1/4 cup mesquite liquid smoke, 1/4 cup honey, and 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce. Add 2T of sea salt, 3T of black pepper, 2tsp of cinnamon, and 2T of paprika. Cover and cook for 4 hours or until you can't wait any longer!
Now you can prep your toppings. I like to use red onion, scallion, cilantro, a lime wedge, and a really sharp English cheddar. You need a cheese that will hold up to the strong flavors in the chili, and "mexican blend" from the store just won't cut it.
You can also make some crostini to dip into the chili. I'm not sure where this fad of cornbread and chili started, but I hate it. Who wants to dip crumbly cornbread in chili for it to break apart? Terrible in execution, but good in flavor. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Brush olive oil on both sides of your favorite bread cut into small two-bite pieces, sprinkle salt and pepper, and bake about 10 minutes or until golden.
Sweet, smokey, hearty, crisp, spicy, smooth, and tangy. The cheese cuts through the complex flavors from the Worchestershire sauce and Dijon mustard, and the crunchy toppings provide the ideal texture differentiation in chili and fresh veggies. The crostini soaks up the sauce, and lime juice adds the perfect kiss of bright acidity right at the end. Buon appetito!
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