Bachelor chow

Chili.

My image, using HiDream I1 Fast.

Before folks start waving pitchforks and torches, remember four things:

1. This is a quick and dirty recipe for folks who haven’t made a chili before,

2. Yes, it’s mild — it’s a starter chili;

3. It’s Bachelor Chow: Done in an hour or less, using pre-made ingredients; and

4. Beans don’t go in Texas chili — unless extra people show up for chow. Then a can of beans or so can stretch that pot out.¹

I have competed in CASI events in the past — rather successfully, if I do say so — and have several recipes for chili that take all day to simmer just right, this is the recipe I default to if I need to throw something together in the evening, or am cooking for guests who possibly might not have a high tolerance for heat.

I got really mad at Knorr for discontinuing their Chipotle minicubes — they added a nice smoky flavour with very little bite. Ah, well, the Clemente Jacques Chipotle Topper is every bit as good, and lot more versatile.

Also, if you’ve never cooked with Rotel before, just go ahead and order a case of the stuff — especially if you’re following us for recipes. Rita and I use it a lot.

Take:

2 lbs ground beef
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 onion
6 equivalent cloves of jarlic (2 cloves per pound of meat)
1 tablespoon Chipotle Topper
3 teaspoon (ish) of chili powder (1 tsp per pound of meat)
1/2 teaspoon smoked salt
1 can Mild Rotel
28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
4 oz can of mild green chilies (not jalapenos)
1/2 cup+ of red wine
Some bacon grease

Put a pot on simmer, and add the can of crushed maters, the rotel, the itty-bitty can of chilies, the salt, the jarlic, and the chipotle topper. When it starts to burble, add the chili powder, and stir well.

While the spices and the maters are getting acquainted, dice your onion, and bring a skillet up to a medium heat.

When your skillet is up to heat, add a little bacon grease, and then brown your onions and your meat. You’ll probably need to do this in a couple of batches — be sure you have beef, sausage, and onions in each batch.

When the onion and meat has browned nicely, into the pot! Careful with the grease — some is flavour, but you don’t want to drown your chili in grease.

Once the pot is back to a burble, add in the wine. Let simmer for half an hour or so, stirring occasionally, and serve with shreddy cheese and crackers.

Voila! Bachelor chow chili.

Once you’ve figured out that chili isn’t all that hard, start experimenting! Change out the ratios, use different peppers, try different meats, work with different chili powder blends, pour in a glug of beer instead of wine. Make it yours.

Enjoy!

Ian

1. Just don’t mention your shame in public. Ever.