Night Before Thanksgiving Chili

One of our family traditions was the night before Thanksgiving chili that Dad made. Dad's was all ground beef but as I got older, I decided to enhance it with other meats. 

Those were simple, happy times. I can still smell the chili having an all-day cook. And I can see the bowls of oyster crackers, cheese, and cut tomatoes sitting on the table. Dad always had a smile on his face and we kids loved his creation. There are many options for sides to serve along with this fabulous one-pot meal. Dad made cornbread, offered crackers and quite often had oyster crackers available. I liked those in my chili because a handful of them offered a cracker in every bite!

• 2 lb chili meat
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2-3 cans kidney or preferred beans, with  juice (unless going LoSo)
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 3 tbsp Liquid Smoke
• 1 tbsp each: dry Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, cumin powder, chili powder (choice of intensity)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cocoa  powder
• 3/4 cup sweet red wine (yes, sweet, no not cooking wine!)
• 1 tbsp olive oil and butter, each

1. Melt the butter and oil together in a pot and put in the onion and the pepper and saute until slightly tender. 
2. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Add in the spices to bloom them for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Scrape out the pan, leaving the fond. Heat the pan on medium and break in the chili meat. 
5. Cook over medium until browned and somewhat crusty, draining off any oil (you want to do this in small batches - 1/4 of the amount each time- to avoid creating too much moisture.)
6. Remove from the pot and put back in the spices and vegetables.
7. Add in the tomato paste and the tomato paste and wine and, over low heat, cook down until the wine tightens up with the paste and the paste turns a darker brown.
8. Add in the broth, the crushed tomatoes, liquid smoke, and diced tomatoes and simmer over medium for 15 minutes.
9. Add in the beef and the cocoa powder.
10. Add in the beans.
11. Stir and simmer for around 1 hour or until the beef is very tender.

Could you do this in a crockpot? Yep. Just cook on high for the first half-hour and low overnight (4-6 hours).

Can you do it with an instant pot? Yep! Same thing! 

Can you do it at any other time of the year? Surely!

So many good memories are associated with this dish. And we ate it with oyster crackers or saltines. But you can do this with any side you like!