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Chipotle Chili
See the chili con carne entry for more on the history of chili. This is a variation on the theme which includes sweet peppers, chipotles, leftover grilled hamburgers, and beer. Most of the ingredients specify very approximate quantities, as this chili works well even with wide variations. Feel free to omit from or add to the ingredient list as your pantry allows. With the suggested amounts of seasoning, you will get a moderately spicy chili. Cut the chili powder in half for a milder stew. The chipotles in adobo add a bit of heat (but not as much as raw jalepeños would).
Ingredients
- vegetable oil1/2 tbsp
- sweet onion, large, coarsely chopped1
- red onion, small, coarsely chopped1
- garlic cloves, minced3–10 cloves
- leftover hamburger patties, leftover, grilled and chilled3–4
- ground cumin4 tsp
- chili powder2 tsp
- salt1/2 tsp
- sweet chiles, small4–5
- chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, small1 can
- hoppy beer, 330 ml, hoppy (recipe developed with Lagunitas IPA)12 oz
- chopped tomatoes, large, 14.5 oz / 411 g, or more1 can
- tomato paste, small1 can
- black beans, 14.5 oz / 411 g, drained and rinsed1 can
- dark kidney beans, 14.5 oz / 411 g, dark, drained and rinsed1 can
- tableside additions such as sour cream, shredded cheese, Fritos, Cheese-its, tableside additions
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 13 steps
Using a food processor, grind the leftover hamburger patties into a coarse powder.
In a bowl, mix the ground hamburgers with the cumin, chili powder, and salt. Set aside. Don't bother cleaning the food processor after grinding the meat.
Add the sweet chiles to the food processor one-by-one, and grind until they're reduced to small bits.
Add the chipotles along with the adobo sauce, grinding until the chipotles are thoroughly integrated into the sauce. You can leave this in the food processor or move it to a bowl.
Heat a stockpot over medium heat and add the oil.
Swirl the oil in the pan to coat, and turn the heat down to medium-low.
Sauté the onions and garlic until soft and golden.
By now the onions should be pretty well cooked down. Turn the heat up to medium and stir continuously.
The onions may start to brown and stick to the bottom of the stockpot. Add half the beer to deglaze the pan.
Add the ground meat and spices, tomato products, beans, chile paste, and remainder of the beer, stirring after each addition to combine.
When the pot comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover.
Simmer for at least half an hour.
Serve in bowls, either plain or with accompaniments suggested above.
