Dad’s Wild West Chili
My dad put his Wild West Chili recipe in one of my school cookbooks they sold each year. He always used beef and pork, but I’ve used a ton of different meats to great success. My favourite spin on it is elk and adding a habanero pepper for heat. This chili is popular everywhere it goes.
Even the vegan/vegetarian version of this chili is amazing! The flavour that develops over hours of simmering (and from the addition of beer!) makes this recipe a winner. If you have some veggie friends coming for dinner, I highly recommend it.
What Kind of Meat?
Beef and Pork: More traditional version – how my dad made it growing up and well loved.
Turkey: Turkey chili is similarly rich but flavour is a bit more mild. I like to mix turkey and beef for a combination of richness and flavour.
Game Meat: Elk is my all time favourite, but moose, black bear, and venison are all delicious.
Beef: This classic chili is made with ground beef. My favourite way to make it is with local beef because it has so much more flavour. Use little to no fat if you are using lean or higher fat beef.
Make Your Own Chili Powder
To truly make the best chili, you need to blend/grind your own chili peppers. Mexican dried peppers such as anaheim, guajillo, and ancho make the best combination. If you don’t have any, just use regular chili powder.
Anaheim Peppers: Anaheim peppers are mildly spicy with a mild smoky flavour. Typically the dried and fresh name are the same, which is unusual for peppers. These peppers are best utilized dried or roasted – bringing out a different (and improved) flavour profile.
Guajillo Peppers: Fresh guajillos are also known as Mirasol peppers. Guajillos have a sweet fruity flavour and are mild-medium spicy. Guajillos are wonderful in making salsa roja and have a complex flavour profile that makes them stand out.
Ancho Peppers: These mild peppers are also known as Poblano peppers in their fresh form. Once in a while a pepper may be wildly spicy, but it’s not very common in commercial grown peppers. Ancho peppers are a bit smokier than fresh Poblanos, but both have a relatively mild earthy flavour that goes well in chili, marinades, and seasonings.
To Prepare Dad’s Wild West Chili
Instructions
Preheat a large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Once it’s almost smoking, add 2 tbsp of oil (if using) and let it get hot and shimmering. Now add the ground meat and salt, browning the meat all over. Once the meat is no longer pink, remove to bowl and set aside, leaving behind some of the fat if there is any.
Reduce the heat to medium, adding 2 tbsp of oil to fry the onion, peppers, and garlic.
Soften the vegetables before adding in the chili powders, cumin, and drained meat back in. Toss to combine with the spices and toast lightly for 30 seconds.
Add the canned tomatoes, liquid smoke, beer, molasses, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer then cover and reduce the heat to low for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, add the kidney beans. Return to a simmer and cover, cooking for another 2 hours.
Adjust seasonings before serving. Enjoy!
Dad’s Wild West Chili
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat a large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Once it’s almost smoking, add 2 tbsp of oil (if using) and let it get hot and shimmering. Now add the ground meat and salt, browning the meat all over. Once the meat is no longer pink, remove to bowl and set aside, leaving behind some of the fat if there is any.
- Reduce the heat to medium, adding another 1-2 tbsp of oil if needed to fry the onion, peppers, and garlic.
- Once the vegetables are softened, add the chili powders, cumin, and drained meat back in. Toss to combine with the spices and toast lightly for 30 seconds.
- Add the canned tomatoes, liquid smoke, beer, molasses, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer then cover and reduce the heat to low for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, add the kidney beans. Return to a simmer and cover, cooking for another 2 hours.
- Adjust seasonings before serving.