pistoffnick’s Deer Camp Chili

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs meat (either beef or venison) sliced into 1/2″ – 3/4″ cubes
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with juice
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, diced chunky
  • 1 red or orange bell pepper,  seeded and chopped
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1.5 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp Cayenne pepper, more if you like it spicy

Directions

Brown beef or venison and sausage, drain.

Cook the onions and peppers in olive oil until translucent. Drain and add to crock.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the crock.

Simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours.  Longer is better. (TWSS)

I usually assemble everything ahead of time, then freeze it in a gallon zip lock bag.  The night before opener I pull it out of the freezer to thaw on the counter.  In the morning it is thawed enough to dump in the crock pot and let it simmer from 5:30 am until we all come in from the cold at noon.

 

Colorado Green Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ – 2 pounds cubed pork (I like 3/4″ to 1″ chunks)
  • 1/2 pound of bacon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chopped, roasted green chiles (Hatch if you can find them, poblanos if you can’t)
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 ½ cups tomatillo salsa
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 pinch ground cloves

Directions

  • Step 1  Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper, then place into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Once browned, remove the pork and set aside. Fry the bacon until crisp.  Crumble it and set it aside.  Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the onion and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes.
  • Step 2  Return the pork and bacon to the pot, and stir in the green chiles, diced tomatoes with juice, tomatillo salsa, and chicken broth. Season with oregano and clove. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 60 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I serve both of these chilis over rice (or riced cauliflower).  Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, or sliced jalapenos.  Accompany with corn muffins and some of Fourscore’s homegrown honey.

This will warm your hunting buddies* right up and they won’t even mention all the poker money you took from them last night.

Minnesota rifle deer opener is November 7th.  I’ll be about 15 minutes north of A Leap at the Wheel and Fourscore trying to stay awake until I can see a deer.  Also trying not to get lost on the way to my ground blind (this has happened more than once).

Speaking of chili

“Time is just a rubber band.

Time** is at our command.”

* The guys I hunt with are 3 stay-at-home-dads whose wives are all gynecologists, an architect, and a printer.

**My soul has been psychodelisized!