Chili Recipe

This is an adapted recipe for chili that Brett found on the website Deadspin (not food related). I tailored it a bit to my liking and the results have been great. So good, that Brett no longer makes his chili anymore, because he says this is better. Its also surprisingly healthy when you use the turkey instead of ground beef, with very minimal difference in taste. Here is the recipe -- the key is to top it with scallions, makes it very savory. Enjoy!

FOR THE CHILI:
2 packs ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped (optional)
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 large can crushed tomatoes
3 can chili beans, undrained
1 can beer
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fennel seed
2 tbsp cumin (add more at end if necessary)
2 tbsp chili powder (add more at end if necessary)
1/4 cup white vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste
Your favorite Hot Sauce (how much ever you like)

2 glugs olive oil

FOR THE SIDES:
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Hot sauce
1 bunch scallions, chopped

Put a big pot on the stove on medium. Pour in the oil. When it's hot, toss in the onions, garlic, jalapeno, and shallots and stir them around until soft. Toss in the ground meat. Salt and pepper the ground meat in the pot. Sautee the meat until it's good and brown. Add the tomatoes, beans, beer, broth, liquid smoke, sugar, cumin, chili powder, fennel seed, vinegar, and hot sauce. Bring it to a simmer. Half cover the pot and leave it on low medium heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally and always tasting. The liquid in the pot should reduce into a nice, thick stew. Dip in a chip to see if the chili sticks to it. If it does, it's ready to serve.

Here are some pics from when we made it Sunday night after a long drive home from Louisville.

Putting the finishing touches on my bowl of chili

Finished product