Neil Gaiman, American Gods
Laura made a great chili. She used lean-cut meat, dark kidney beans, carrots cut small, a bottle or so of dark beer, and freshly sliced hot peppers. She would let the chili cook for a while, then add red wine, lemon juice, and a pinch of fresh dill, and, finally, measure out and add her chili powders. On more than one occasion Shadow had tried to get her to show him how she made it: he would watch everything she did, from slicing the onions and dropping them into the olive oil at the bottom of the pot on. He had even written down the sequence of events, ingredient by ingredient, and he had once made Laura’s chili for himself on a weekend when she had been out of town. It had tasted okay—it was certainly edible, and he ate it, but it had not been Laura’s chili.
Spicy Lean Meat and Dark Beer Chili
This Spicy Lean Meat and Dark Beer Chili is a hearty and flavorful dish, packed with lean meat, dark kidney beans, carrots, hot peppers, and a rich dark beer. The combination of spices and a slow simmering process creates a delicious meal that can be customized to your desired heat level. Serve it with your favorite toppings for a satisfying and warming meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 pounds lean-cut meat beef, turkey, or chicken, diced or ground
- 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
- 2 cups dark kidney beans drained and rinsed (canned or pre-cooked)
- 1 or 2 fresh hot peppers such as jalapeño or serrano, sliced
- 1 bottle 12 ounces dark beer
- 1 can 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, with juice
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the lean-cut meat to the pot and cook, breaking up ground meat or browning diced meat until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the finely diced carrots, dark kidney beans, and sliced hot peppers. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the dark beer into the pot, followed by the diced tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The chili should thicken and the flavors will meld together.
- Season the chili with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a spicier chili, you can add more sliced hot peppers or increase the chili powder.
- Continue to simmer the chili for an additional 15-30 minutes, until the desired thickness and flavor is reached.
- Serve the chili hot, garnished with your choice of optional toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or chopped cilantro.