It's finally starting to feel like autumn in Georgia and the blazing 90 degree weather won't be around for a while. It's actually quite chilly in the morning and evenings, so I decided to make a big pot of chili along with some cornbread and they were massive hits with Dr. Sweetpea.
Pat's Famous Beef and Pork Chili
(Source; Food Network)
6 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup beer
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (24-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (24-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
Lime wedges, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Shredded Cheddar, for garnish
Sliced scallions, for garnish
In large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook the bacon over
medium heat until lightly crisp, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon is
browned, add the garlic, onions, bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, chipotle
chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper, to
taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender and seasonings are aromatic. Add
the beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Once beef is broken up and
beginning to brown, add the pork. Break up with wooden spoon like the beef, and
brown, until no longer pink, roughly 4 minutes. Stir in the beer and beans.
Toss together, then add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Turn the heat down to
low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if
necessary. Transfer the chili to serving bowls and garnish with lime wedges,
sour cream, shredded cheese, and sliced scallions.
Note: I didn’t use bacon when I made our chili. I also
used 2 pounds of 93% lean ground beef instead of using a beef and pork mixture.
I used a 12 oz bottle of Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer instead of Budweiser. I
used only half of the cumin and I used regular paprika instead of smoked
paprika.
Honey Cornbread
(Source: Cooks Country)
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cup (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (5 ounces) cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375
degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan. Whisk buttermilk, honey, eggs, and
butter together in bowl until thoroughly combined and no streaks of honey
remain. Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in
large bowl.
Whisk buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until
thoroughly combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until golden brown
and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan
for 5 minutes. Turn cornbread out onto wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve.
