CHILI

Chili

INGREDIENTS

21⁄2 pounds beef chuck roast or venison loin with silverskin removed, cut into

   cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. canola oil

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 large red onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. chili powder

11⁄2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 cinnamon stick

12 oz. dark beer, such as Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale

2 (12-ounce) cans Ro*Tel diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained

2 cups beef stock

3 tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

2 tsp. dried oregano

1⁄3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Garnishes: Tortilla chips, sour cream, fresh cilantro leaves, grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, jalapeños, lime wedges

PREPARATION

Toss the beef or venison in a bowl with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Put the flour in a wide shallow bowl and add half of the meat, tossing to coat.

Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp. of the oil and 1

tbsp. of the butter. Put the floured meat in the pot and cook for 2 minutes per side to develop a rich brown crust. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pot or you will steam the meat; work in batches if necessary.) With a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining meat.

If using an instant pot, turn to sauté mode with high heat and brown the meat in the pot. A 6-qt. Instant Pot has a smaller cooking surface than many large Dutch ovens, so this may require more batches.

Reduce the heat on the stovetop to medium and add the remaining oil and butter. For an Instant Pot, lower sauté to medium or normal. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, allspice, and cinnamon stick. Sauté for 1 minute.

Add the beer and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

Return the meat to the pot and add the tomatoes, stock, brown sugar, chipotle, and oregano. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 1 1⁄2 hours.

For an Instant Pot, secure the lid and cook under high pressure for 30 minutes. When complete, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release until you can safely open the lid.

Stir in the cilantro.

To serve, arrange garnishes on the table. Ladle chili into serving bowls and let each person top the chili to their liking.

Recipe adapted from The Southerner’s Cookbook