Chili is much improved by having had a day to contemplate its fate.--John Steel Gordon.

While cowboys introduced this campfire classic, it is a crowd pleasing chili for meat lovers, busy mothers, and football fans. Beef and pork simmer in wine with all the classic chilis and seasoning and the olfactory pleasure intensifies as the pot bubbles and toils. Like fine wine, it improves with age and is a make in advance dream pot of soul satisfying protein packed nourishment.
cuisine American
difficulty Moderate
season Fall & Winter
serves 8

ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground pork
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 2 cups onion, chopped
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (take out seeds if you like less spicy)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/4 cup Merlot or other fruity red wine
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans ground peeled tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Sliced scallions, tortilla chips, chopped avocado, and sour cream for serving

directions

  1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground pork, sirloin, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño to pan. Cook until ground pork and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.
  2. Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and beans; bring to a boil.
  4. Put in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Alternatively, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese, scallions, chips, and sour cream.