Warm Your Body and Soul with Chili & Cornbread

Nothing ushers in the Autumn like chili. This one pot juggernaut of a meal is both healthy and hearty. I’ll show you how to get rich deep flavors with just the right amount of heat. We’ll make some Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread for the perfect Fall meal.

Texas Style Chili

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons Chipotle Peppers in adobo

1 tablespoon ground cumin seed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

5 tablespoons lard, vegetable oil, or bacon fat

1 Smoked Ham Hock (optional)

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, well trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (to yield 2 pounds after trimming)

2 cups beef stock , or canned low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed

1 quart crushed tomatoes, plus more as needed

1 Yellow Onion (diced)

1 Green Pepper (diced)

1 Red Pepper (diced)

1 bunch Cilantro (chopped)

Scallion

Sour cream

Lime wedges

PREPARATION

1. Heat skillet to medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the lard. When it begins to smoke, swirl skillet to coat and add half of the beef. Lightly brown on at least two sides, about 3 minutes per side, reducing the heat if the meat threatens to burn. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with 2 more tablespoons of lard and the remaining beef. Reserve.

2. Let the skillet cool slightly, and place it over medium-low heat. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of lard in the skillet; add the onion and peppers and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock and tomatoes. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula to loosen any browned bits. Add the reserved beef (and any juices in the bowl) and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a slight simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender but still somewhat firm and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of thickened but still liquid sauce surrounds the cubes of meat, about 2 hours.

3. Add more salt to taste, chipotle and spices. Gently simmer 10 minutes more. At this point, it may look like there is excess sauce. Turn off the heat and let the chili stand for at least 30 minutes, during which time the meat will absorb about half of the remaining sauce in the skillet, leaving the meat bathed in a thick, somewhat fluid sauce. Stir in additional broth or water if the mixture seems too dry. If the mixture seems a bit loose and wet, allow it to simmer a bit more (sometimes we like to partially crush the cubes of beef with the back of a spoon to let them absorb more sauce).

4. Serve in individual bowls with a dollop of sour cream on top, sliced scallions and a lime wedge on the side.

Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 Fresh Jalapeno

¼ cup grated cheddar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups reduced fat buttermilk

1 large egg

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place an oven-proof 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven.

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

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, cheese, jalapeño, egg and 3 tablespoons butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.

Remove skillet from the oven and add remaining 3 tablespoons until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.

Working carefully, immediately scoop the batter into the hot skillet. Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes.

Serve warm.