Tipsy Beef Chili - Not Your G'ma's Chili - A Super Make-Ahead Meal
Tipsy Chili Primo - The Quintessential Comfort Food
So far, everyone whom I've served this chili to handsdown exclaimed it's the best chili they've ever had and asked for the recipe. So, I feel obliged to share it with ya'all. You make it with not only your standard fare ground beef but also tri-tip. Tri-tip boasts a beefy flavor with a tender chew which catapults this chili into the gourmet class.
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 60 Minutes
Suggested Tools:
· Cast iron or other large pot
. Medium Skillet
· Colander
· Cutting board
· Sharp knife
· Small bowl for spices
· Measuring cups
· Measuring spoons
· Stir spoon
Ingredients:
· 2 ½ pounds beef tri-tip, trim the fat off and cut into bite-size pieces (about 1/2 inch pieces)
· 1 ½ pounds ground beef
· 1 cup of your favorite beer
· 1 cup beef broth plus ½ cup (to be used separately)
· 1 - 15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed
[Feel free to add another can of the beans or use a different type of bean - the recipe can easily absorb it]
· ¼ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays, Sweet-n-Spicy)
· 1 large yellow onion or about 2 cups, chopped well
· 1 large red pepper, chopped well
· 1 - 10 ounce can diced tomatoes
· 1 - 8 ounce can tomato paste
· 2 garlic cloves or 1 tablespoon, minced
· 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· 1 tablespoon Worstershire sauce
· 1 heaping tablespoon of canned diced green chili (from 4 oz can)
· 1 heaping tablespoon of canned diced jalapeno (from 4 oz can)
· ¼ cup corn starch
· Hot sauce – as desired
Combine in a small bowl or ramekin the following eight spices (aka Emeril’s Essence)
· 2 ½ teaspoons paprika
· 2 tablespoon salt
· 2 tablespoons garlic powder
· 1 tablespoon pepper
· 1 tablespoon onion powder
· 1 tablespoon cayenne
· 1 tablespoon oregano
· 1 tablespoon thyme
Instructions –
1. To a large pot, add one tablespoon of the olive oil. Heat the olive oil on medium to medium-low heat and once heated, crumble the ground beef into the pot and begin cooking the beef. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the spice combo into the beef, mixing to combine well. Continue cooking – leaving some pink on the meat is fine because it will be cooked some more in a little while. Using a colander, drain the fat out of the ground beef and let the beef set until it is needed in step 4.
2. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the spice combo onto the tri-tip pieces, ensuring you get a good distribution on the meat. Add two tablespoons olive oil into the same large pot and heat on medium to medium-low heat. Cook the meat until nearly done – again, some pink is fine in the meat as it will be cooked some more later. Do not over cook the tri-tip because if it gets over cooked, it can become tough.
3. While the tri-tip above is cooking, sauté the chopped vegetables – onion, red pepper and garlic in one tablespoon of the olive oil. Sauté until the vegetables are translucent. This should take about ten minutes. Add the vegetables to the tri-tip and give it a stir.
4. With the tri-tip on medium-low heat, add the ground beef to the tri-tip and vegetables and stir well.
5. Add the beer, beef broth, barbecue sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, green chilies, and jalapenos. Stir to combine well.
6. In a small bowl or cup, add the cornstarch and then gently stir in a little at a time ½ cup beef broth to make a slury. Add this to the pot along with the Worchester sauce. Add another tablespoon of the spice mixture to the pot and stir to combine well.
7. Sprinkle in hot sauce as desired and stir. I just sprinkled 4-5 drops.
Note: Depending on how much heat you desire, you could add the entire four-ounce cans of both the green chilies and jalapenos, but we don't do that in my house.
Optional Condiments:
. Sour cream
. Shredded cheese
. Chopped onion
. Fresh cilantro
. Slice fresh or pickled jalapeno
I recommend serving this chili with a green salad and cornbread, beer bread or biscuits and don't forget the honey. Enjoy!
The Crooked Ladle
Savor the taste