The Super Bowl is coming up on Sunday, and this girl loves a Super Bowl party. I really don’t know why that is. I am not a big fan of football (much to my hubby’s dismay), and I could care even less about NFL football. Andrew blames it on the fact that I didn’t go to a football school (yup I confess, I love basketball, can you blame me?). The truth is that I usually like football when I am not forced to pay attention to it. I LOVE a great tailgate and football watching parties are always super fun. Plus, football season usually means fall weather which is one of my favorite seasons.
I am particularly interested in this year’s Super Bowl because it is being held in Dallas! Yes, I live in Charlottesville now but I lived in Dallas for almost three years before I made the big move to the east coast (Cville by way of DC). And things were starting to ramp up for the big game right before I left two years ago. People have been partying for that long about this. For real. I am so sad that I am not there right now—not because I would go to the game at all—but mostly because of ALL the star sightings I am missing. Le sigh.
The only thing for a girl to do is make a killer chili and invite some friends over. We may even get crazy and pick up some Shiner Bock to toast the Lone Star State. I know. We are crazy wild married people these days.
A few notes about this dish. We like things pretty spicy in our house. While this chili is certainly not seven alarm or eight alarm or whatever it is, it does have quite a bit of heat. Cut back on the green chilis or halve the jalapenos and chipotles if you don’t like it spicy. Removing the seeds from the jalapenos and chipotle chilis will also result in a milder but still flavorful chili. The seeds are where the heat is so remove them if you like or keep them in if you like it hot! Use the meats you love as I know buffalo can sometimes be tough to find. Finally, the Texans out there (aka Andrew) balk at the thought of adding beans to chili. Give it a try. It’s actually pretty tasty. And I have gotten the thumbs up from at least one Texan so far. He even requested them the second time I made this. Go figure!
Spicy Beef and Buffalo Chili
{Serves 6}
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground buffalo
1 pound ground chuck
2 dark mexican beers (or corona extra works too)
5 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 sweet onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1 28-oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 can beef broth
2 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
2 four-oz. can diced green chiles
3 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, seeds removed, minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
Optional: 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (can substitute 1 teaspoon brown sugar)
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy pan. Season buffalo and chuck with salt and pepper. Brown buffalo and ground chuck with 2 tablespoons chili powder.
Add one of the beers and bring to boil. Reduce to rolling simmer and add the rest of the chili powder, cumin, mexican oregano, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Let chili cook for about thirty minutes. Add second beer and cook for another 30 minutes.
While chili is cooking with the beers, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan. Add onions and cook very slowly over low heat until caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. Once onions look caramelized and light brown, add garlic cloves. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
After the chili has been cooking for about an hour, add the caramelized onions, tomatoes, chipotle chili, green chili, red and yellow bell peppers, and jalapenos. If the liquid looks low, add 1/2 cup beef broth. Cook for another hour over low heat to allow vegetables to soften.
As liquid cooks out of chili, add 1/2 cup of beef broth until you have used the entire can of beef broth. This should take about an hour or two. Cook until chili is thick and a rich, brown color.
Optional: Add drained and rinsed black beans and balsamic vinegar (or brown sugar). Cook for another 10 minutes until beans are warmed.
Serve with: Your favorite chili garnishes. I use onions (red, white, or green onions), grated sharp white cheddar cheese, diced pickled jalapenos, fritos or tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro, and homemade cornbread. Enjoy!
