9-Pepper Chili
Ingredients: 3 lbs lean freshly ground chuck, 2 46 oz cans V-8 juice, 1 medium green bell pepper, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 large Anaheim pepper, 2 large jalapeno peppers, 4-10 serrano peppers (they're small), 1 large poblano pepper, 2-4 fingerhot (Georgia green) peppers, 2 red string (cayenne) peppers, 2-3 medium yellow onions
Optional -- either 2 lbs well-soaked (overnight in beef stock with 1 oz ground cumin, 2 tbsps salt) and drained red beans, or 2 15.5 oz cans chili beans in sauce (I prefer them -- no lectures please about how 'authentic' chili doesn't have beans... If not using beans, add another 1/2 lb chuck, and more Anaheims and poblanos to keep the bulk/liquid ratio about right)
Optional -- 1 lb fresh rabbit or squirrel cut into cubes (quite good!). Add another 12-16 oz V-8 to the stock if using these
Spices: 3-4 oz cumin (minimum, fresh ground is way best), 10-12 medium cloves garlic, well-chopped (or 6-8 tsp prepared minced garlic), 1 oz fresh ground black pepper. Or more to taste, of course. No salt; we'll deal with salt later, and in any case the V-8 stock and the beans (if used) have stacks of salt.
In uncovered stockpot, reduce V-8 juice by 15-20% over medium heat (being a juice, it has too much water to start). While reducing, stem the peppers, then rough dice onions and all peppers, including the hearts and seeds, and set aside.
Brown ground chuck thoroughly in 4-6 tbsps of olive oil, draining about 80% of the fat (keep some, certainly, for the flavour). Add chuck, peppers, onions, and beans and rabbit or squirrel, if used, to reduced stockpot. Add black pepper and half the garlic at this point. Lower heat to simmer, and cover. Simmer approximately 90 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. At the 60 minute mark, add half the cumin, stirring well.
After 90 minutes, if you intend to eat the chili today, add remainder of garlic and cumin and simmer another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If you do not intend to eat it today, add remainder of garlic and cumin, stir thoroughly, remove from heat and refrigerate overnight, covered. This improves the flavour immensely, in my view. Do not discard the condensation that forms inside the stockpot lid; stir it back into the stock.
Reheat slowly, starting 1 hour or so before serving, and adding more cumin and/or garlic according to taste. Some adjustment will probably be necessary. Note: cumin is a relatively fragile spice, and WILL degrade under high or extended heating (this is why we waited to add it in the first place...)
Serve with side bowls of garnishes, fresh-grated sharp cheddar, or pecorino Romano (surprisingly good), chopped jalaps, chopped onion, diced fresh tomatoes (a can of Ro-Tel is very good, too), and oyster crackers
This recipe can be multiplied without damage, for large crowds
This chili, for all the peppers it contains, is pretty mild. If you prefer it hotter, or are making a batch for a group of people, some of whom are known to like it hot, here's one solution.
In a 2-quart saucepan, add 1-2 cups from the stockpot, 6-10 finely chopped habanero peppers, 6-10 finely chopped Thai red ('dragon') peppers, and whatever number you like of finely chopped pasilla, serrano, cayenne, and jalapeno peppers, along with 6 oz cider vinegar, 2 tbsps of your favourite hot sauce, and 1 tbsp prepared horseradish if feeling adventurous.
Loosely cover and place on medium heat for 15 minutes, boiling off perhaps half the vinegar. Best to have a ventilating fan on because the aroma is, er, unique. Serve in a separate bowl, and let the folks add what amount they like.
This will produce a very flavourful, and VERY hot sauce which can be added or not to each person's bowl, as desired. Do not screw around with this sauce -- it is hot. You have been warned.
If not all of these peppers are readily to hand, feel free to substitute others of the same relative 'hotness'. In ascending order, the heat index is, approximately -- bell, Anaheim, poblano, jalapeno, fingerhot, pasilla, cayenne, serrano...and the Thai red and habanero are off the scale. Your grocer or produce man can advise on substitution.
There are, afaic, only two inviolable rules for chili:
1) You probably can't use too much garlic.
2) You absolutely can't use too much cumin.
Dig in!
< donning habanero-proof flame suit >
I like your recipies..many thanks..especially for the "mix" of chilis...however....I'm not sold on the V-8 juice..if I wanted to substitute..would you recommend diced orstewed tomatoes, puree, or a mixture of them?