Warm up on a blustery evening with this hearty, spicy chili. Loaded with meat, beans, and vegetables, this recipe makes a pot big enough to feed a horde of hungry mountain men! Set it to simmer on the woodstove in the morning, and it will be hot and ready by suppertime. Or, if you happen to lack a woodstove, this chili can certainly be prepared on your stovetop in an afternoon. Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients; this chili takes a little prep time, but then it simmers away happily on its own all day, or at least all afternoon.
Method
In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, cook the sausage and bacon over medium heat. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the drippings in the pan to flavor your meat and onions.
While the bacon and sausage are cooking, cut your game meat into 3/4-inch or 1-inch cubes. Caribou and moose meat are both delicious, but feel free to use venison or even beef, if you don’t have any game meat. This recipe is a good place to use tougher cuts of meat, such as those labeled as “stew meat.” The long cooking time will make even tough meats nice and tender.
A note about meat
One other note about meat: the amount is approximate. You can use as little as 2 lbs. of stew meat, or as much as 3 lbs. without adjusting any other ingredients. With a smaller amount of meat, the chili will have proportionately more beans and more liquid, so just keep that in mind.
Add the game meat or beef to the Dutch oven along with the chopped onions and minced garlic, and cook over medium low heat until browned. Stir occasionally to brown the meat on all sides. Drain off all the fat.
Return the sausage and bacon to the Dutch oven. Add the beans, beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, and all the seasonings.
A note about chili powder
Don’t be shy of using half a cup of chili powder! I know it sounds like a lot, but this recipe makes a big pot of chili, and it’s really not too spicy. That is, if you use dark chili powder. The lighter, redder chili powder tends to be a little stronger, so I would cut back to 1/4 or 1/3 cup if you are using this variety. You can always add more after the chili simmers for a few hours. (If you’re still skeptical, read the adjustments for heat below.)
Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer, covered, for a few hours or all day: until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Check the pot every couple of hours to see if it needs more liquid. You may have to add a little water every now and then.
Cooking
That’s it! This chili will be ready to serve in as little as 3 hours, or as long as 8. It’s a low-maintenance dinner that leaves you free to do other things instead of being tied to the kitchen. Try this chili with corn bread or biscuits hot from the oven. Your mountain men will come back for seconds!
This recipe makes a big pot of chili. If you don’t happen to have a horde of hungry men or teenagers around to eat it, the leftovers freeze very well. I have found it helpful to divide the cooled chili into meal-sized containers, and freeze them individually. I get about three meals for our family of four from this recipe, with extra for guests. There’s nothing I like more than cooking one dinner and getting two additional meals from the same amount of effort!
Adjustments for heat and spiciness
If you desire a less spicy chili, here are a few adjustments you can make:
- use a mild sausage
- use dark chili powder
- leave out the Tabasco
If you would like a spicier chili, try these adjustments:
- use hot sausage (either hot country style or hot Italian style)
- use light chili powder, or add a little more
- use more Tabasco – with caution!
Mountain Man Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bulk sausage country style or Italian
- 1/4 lb. bacon chopped
- 2 large onions chopped
- 3 lbs. caribou, moose, venison, or beef cubed
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 30 oz. canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. beef broth
- 30 oz. diced tomatoes undrained
- 3 cups tomato sauce or juice
- 4 oz. diced green chilies
- 1/2 cup dark chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 2-3 drops Tabasco optional
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, cook the sausage and bacon over medium heat.
- Remove meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the game meat or beef, onions, and garlic to the Dutch oven and cook over medium low heat until browned. Stir occasionally so that all sides are browned. Drain off all the fat.
- Return the cooked sausage and bacon to the Dutch oven. Add the beans, beef broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce, chilies, and all the seasonings. Stir well to combine.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for at least 3 hours, up to 8 hours. Check the chili every couple of hours and add a small amount of water if needed.
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