At the time we cooked this, it was -20*F (-29*C) outside at 10am in the morning. Yes. You read that correctly. It was bleeping cold! The husband helped with assembly, so this came together moderately quickly. It does simmer for over an hour so some advanced planning is necessary - hence, making this on a day off, in the morning.
This turned out really thick. I think simmering till the beer is reduced by 1/2 was unnecessary - some extra liquid would have been appreciated. I ended up using two 1 lb packages of ground bison (didn't want to waste any) so this turned out quite meaty. I also think a person could easily sub ground beef, or even ground pork or turkey and just swap out the beef broth for chicken broth.
The Husband thought this could have used more spices - not necessarily more 'heat', but more spice flavor. I think a couple stalks of chopped celery would have been tasty. I like the use of chickpeas instead of traditional chili beans, and I think even hominy would be a nice addition. Lots you could do with this one. I would make this again (and I'm not even a ground meat eater!).
2 dried ancho chiles
2 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson)
1 (8-ounce) package fresh cremini mushrooms
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds 90% lean ground bison or ground sirloin (I used 2 -1lb pkg bison)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon unsalted tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark Mexican beer
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled acorn squash (I used butternut)
1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream skipped
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley skipped
Combine chiles and stock in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 3 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove stems. Combine chile mixture and mushrooms in a blender; process until smooth.
Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bison, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove bison from pan. Reduce heat to medium-high.
Add onion and bell pepper to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chili powder, oregano, coriander, and cumin; sauté 30 seconds. Return bison to pan. Stir in beer; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in mushroom mixture and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes. Stir in squash and chickpeas; simmer 45 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Top with sour cream and parsley.
Tiffany Vickers Davis, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2013
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