Aug 23 2015
It was just me & the dog home today so I wanted to make some chili. Our son was at a golf outing so my wife went with the daughter in law and grandson to his soccer game an hour south of here. Our son met them after the game for dinner.
My chili was a half day making and that meant a nice lazy beer sipping afternoon outside listening to music as I was cooking. I did up the tomatoes on the smoker early to get the peels off; an easier way than boiling water. I had about a pound of smoked sausage to use up so that was my meat. I prefer pinto beans for chili but had some little red beans to use up.
After lunch I smoked the sausage on my Traeger for an hour 15 minutes at 225 deg. I measured out my spices, chopped the onion and diced up the bacon. I started out outdoors using my gas burner; I did the bacon, sausage, onions and dry spices then took the pot inside to deglaze and add all the other stuff.
After I got all in and simmering I let it on for 3 hours adding some water as I went and stirring as it cooked. I had a big bowl of it about 6:30 topped with some shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend and a dollop of sour cream along with some buttered saltine crackers. It was a little warm for me but tasted great.
I think ground meat would make it more chili like but I had the smoked sausage to use up.
Smokin Don
Recipe:
Penzeys chili with beans
1 pound of meat
2 to 3 slices bacon diced
1 large sweet onion chopped
10 med. tomatoes peeled and chopped up or 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Following Penzey’s chili powders 1 rounded tsp. each:
Ancho chili pepper
Chipotle ground red
Chili pepper medium hot
Smoked paprika
1 Penzey’s dried arbol pepper
1 to 2 teaspoon cumin, I used 1
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
½ bottle beer to deglaze pan
Water to add
1 cup dried red or pinto beans soaked overnight
I call this Penzey’s chili because I used all their spices for it. I had about a pound of smoked sausage to use up so I used it; smoked on my Traeger then cut in quarters long wise and cut in ½ inch pieces. You can use ground sausage, hamburger or a mix.
Spray a large pot with some olive oil and cook diced bacon till starting to brown, add in your meat and cook until browned. Add in the chopped onions and when they start to brown add in all the dry spices. Stir to mix well and it starts to stick to the pan; add in the beer to deglaze the pan.
Add in the tomatoes, dried pepper and bay leaves. When it returns to a boil add in the rinsed beans, salt and pepper. Add water if needed and bring to a boil then turn down to a slow simmer and cook at least two to three hours. I simmer with the lid off and usually have to add water as I go for the consistency I want. Serve with some shredded cheese and sour cream on top.
Note: This came out hot for me but any who like heat it is a medium I would say.
I found a lazy way to peel the tomatoes is cut off the tops and remove any core, cut an X in the bottom and do on your pellet smoker at 225-250 deg. for an hour. I use a slotted grill pan. Let cool to handle and the skin comes off easily.
