Large Bowl Of Chuckwagon Chili Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Dice the yellow onion, bell peppers, celery and grate the carrot. Mince the garlic and shred the smoked brisket if not already shredded. Drain and rinse the kidney and pinto beans. Mince the chipotle pepper.

Heat a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil.

Add the diced onion, bell peppers, celery and carrot to the pot. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.

Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it up with a wooden spoon and brown 6–8 minutes until no longer pink. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper while cooking.

If there is excess fat, drain off all but about 1 tablespoon. Add the minced garlic and minced chipotle; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and beef broth. Add chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.

Add the shredded smoked brisket and both drained bean cans to the pot. Bring the chili to a gentle simmer.

Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and chili thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and the rest of the black pepper as needed. If chili becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more beef broth.

While the chili simmers, prepare toppings: thinly slice jalapeños, finely dice the red onion, shred the cheddar cheese and place sour cream in a small bowl. Keep covered in the refrigerator until service.

Optionally quick-pickle the sliced jalapeños and red onion: combine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt in a jar, add jalapeños and onion, let sit 15–30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.

In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

In a separate bowl whisk buttermilk, egg and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped jalapeño.

Pour batter into the prepared pan or skillet and bake 15–18 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into squares or wedges to serve alongside the chili.

Ladle the chili into a large bowl. Top with shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, sliced jalapeños and diced red onion. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve lime wedges on the side.

Serve each bowl with a wedge of warm jalapeño cornbread. Adjust heat with extra chipotle or fresh jalapeño slices if desired.