Chili with Smoked Brisket - Texas style

Yum

Ingredients:
Smoked Brisket - Flat
​3 Jalapenos
4 Habaneros
​2 lbs canned or fresh tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic​

1 yellow onion
1 dark porter ale
Salt
Pepper
​Paprika
​Cayenne pepper

Winter time is chili time. When the tempretaure are creeping downwards, few things are as rewarding as enjoying a rich, flavorful, chili with some bite. I like chili without beans and my favorite recipe is one, cooked using smoked brisket. For a good smoked brisket recipe, check out my recipe on this site, you will find it in the beef section of this blog.

Start by finely chop the onion and the garlic and set aside. De-seed and finely chop the green peppers as well and then set aside for later use. Cut these Brunoise which is a fine dice measuring 4mm x 4mm x 4mm, or 1/8 x 1/8 x 1/8 inches.If you use fresh tomatoes, remove skin and seeds and chop thoroughly as well.

Next step is roasting the chilis. You have flexibility in the recipe for this step, add more jalapenos and less habaneros for a less spicy version. Roast the chilis over high heat for a couple of minutes, until the exterior is getting charred. Drop chilis in icewater - remove the skin and carefully remove the seeds. I recommend wearing rubber gloves when doing this, especially when you wear contacts. Some of you will know what I mean. Cut the chili into bruniose as well.

Heat some olive oil in a pan, preferably a cast-iron pan, and quickly brown garlic, onions and garlic. Dont overdo it, you just want them slighly browned. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and heat up. Add roasted chilis and stir for a couple of minutes.

Add the porter and let the pan simmer for 30 minutes. While it simmers, finely chop the brisket. This is worth doing thoroughly, the finer the dice, the better texture in the final chili. Take your time. When done, pour into the chili and stir.

Add some salt, pepper and other spices but don't overdo it. It is better to add some gradually for when you are getting a better sense of the flavor of the chili. The chili will now simmer for 5-6 hours and during this timeperiod the chili will get richer, and more flavorful so add spices in moderation. You will also see the it will slighly darken during the cook as well (see pictures above).
​When you feel that you have the right depth, flavor and texture, remove from the stove and serve. Chili is one of those dishes that tastes even better the day after, so dont be afraid to cook a day or two in advance, and heat up when time to serve. Serve with crackers and if you like some added texture, finely choppped oinions, shredded cheese and soem sour cream.  Enjoy!!