Chili Done My Way!

Ok i know its NOT Chili weather.... BUT once in a while a nice bowl of chili goes along way!

I was digging around in my chest freezer and came across some lovely chunks of stewing beef, ground lamb and ground turkey just enough of each kind not to make a full meal out of them, SO chilli it was! I laid them out the night prior to the long slow simmering, I dug around in my pantry and found 4 different kinds of dried beans (ChicPeas, White Northen, Kidney and Black Eyed Peas) I soaked about 1 cup of each in a deep bowl with water all the way to the top and then i added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I soaked them over night, rinsed them the next morning felt how tender they were and realised i needed them to cook a little longer.

So now for the whole recipe i spose!

Slow Cooked 3 Meat 4 Bean Chili

1 pound of ground lamb

1 pound of ground turkey

1 pound of stewing beef

1 large onion (chopped and diced)

4 fresh red chillies (roughly chopped)

3 Tablespoons of fresh minced garlic

2 cups of homemade chicken stock

sea salt

1 Tablespoon of chipotle powder

ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon of cumin

1 Tablespoon of garlic powder

2 Tablespoons of homemixed Taco seasoning

2 cups of diced tomatoes with their juices still

2 cups of tomato juice

1 cup of chic peas (dryed)

1 cup of white northen beans (dryed)

1 cup of kidney beans (dryed)

1 cup of black eyed peas (dryed)

1 cup of liquid from the beans

and for garnishing

dash of lime juice

sour cream

grated cheese

I know seems like alot doesnt it! But we eat on it for a day or so and then i reinvent it :) and add cream cheese to it and pour it over tortilla chips some grated cheese and nachos it is!

Or mix it with cream cheese and a lil sour cream and turn it into a delish dip!

Soap your dry beans the night before make sure its a big enough bowl for the beans to soak in add a couple spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar to the beans and water.

Before starting your chili check the beans if still not tender enough add the drained beans to a pot cover with water add some seal salt and bring to a boil, check beans occasionally while preparing the chili if tender enough remove from heat and leave them in the water, remember you will need some of this liquid for your chili!

In a large pot heat up a little olive oil, when hot toss in your diced onions, minced garlic and your roughly chopped red chillies.

Saute the mixture for a few mins (if it starts to stick and burn add some of your stock) next you will want to toss your ground turkey and ground lamb into the mix and brown it. Once the ground meat is browned add the chunks of stew beef let it seal on all sides (the chunks of meat change colour) add and coat all the ground meat and chunks of beef with the chipotle, garlic powder, pinch of salt, cumin, taco seasoning and black pepper let simmer for a few minutes then add the rest of your stock, diced tomatoes and juice. Once all added bring the pot of yummies to a slow boil then turn it down to low. You will slow cook the pot for about 1-2 hours stirring occasionally. After about 2 hours your going to want to add your drained beans to the pot, stir them in depending how much your chili has cooked down depends on whether or not you will use the alotted amount of bean liquid. At this stage my chili is good and thick and i need the 1 cup of liquid :) i let this cook on the lowest setting for hours but sometimes my boys cant wait and dig in right away which is fine as it is technically good and cooked! When ready to eat i always serve it up with a spoonful of sourcream some tasty grated cheese and a squeeze of lime juice!

Really this chili ive found the longer it cooks the better the flavours!