Autumn Pork Chili

Submitted by Chef #1342879

"A hearty pork chili that is sweet and mild, combining rich flavors and fall colors."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 30
• Serves: 10-12

ingredients

• 4 4 tablespoons olive oil (you pick) or 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil (you pick)
• 8 slices thick cut bacon
• 3 lbs boneless pork loin, cut into 2-inch cubes
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 medium onions or 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 1 lb oyster mushrooms or 1 lb portabella mushroom
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup brandy (*)
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground rosemary
• 1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
• 3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1 cup prepared black coffee (strong)
• 1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
• 1⁄2 cup Bourbon or 1/4 cup scotch
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle Guinness stout or (12 ounce) bottle other stout beer
• 8 ounces sour cream, to garnish
• 8 jalapenos, sliced, to garnish
• 16 ounces shredded strong cheddar cheese, to garnish
• 8 ounces bell peppers, finely chopped to garnish (red, orange, and yellow)
• 1 (20 ounce) box multi-grain crackers

directions

1. Cut bacon into 2 inch pieces. Add to large stock pot and place over high heat. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pot, leaving bacon grease, and set aside. Never fry bacon in the nude, even if using large stock pot.
2. In a separate skillet, sauté mushrooms in butter and brandy until done. If you're feeling brave or preparing in front of a crowd, add brandy to sautéed mushrooms, light with fire, and continue to sauté until brandy burns off or fire department is called. Tie back long hair and protect eyebrows. Set mushrooms in butter aside.
3. Pour oil into stockpot and place over high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown it in batches. Remove and drain the browned pork, and set aside, leaving oil in stockpot.
4. Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers to the stock pot. Season with the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, rosemary, salt, pepper and cilantro. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
5. Add the pork back to the pot along with the tomatoes, honey, coffee, bourbon, and bouillon. Stir well until bouillon is dissolved. Add the beans, stir well, and cover stockpot. Bring up to a simmer and then reduce heat to low.
6. Let simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, until the pork is tender and falls apart easily. Add the mushrooms to the stock pot as the chili finishes cooking. Salt to taste.
7. When serving, garnish with sour cream sprinkled with finely chopped peppers. Serve with side bowls of sour cream, sliced jalapenos, shredded cheddar, and crackers.
8. The only heat in this chili comes from the chili powder, so it is a sweet, mild chili. If you prefer spicy, add veined and seeded jalapeños to the stock pot when cooking the onions and peppers. You can also add cayenne pepper to the seasonings. I prefer the chili mild so you'll need to experiment with amounts of jalapeños and cayenne to add.
9. I like to garnish the chili with a mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Instead of buying 3 separate peppers, I buy a large bag of mixed mini bell peppers. They take a little longer to chop, but the extras, eaten whole, make a great snack while cooking.
10. I like to use Guinness with this recipe because I like Guinness and it gives me an excuse to buy a six pack. Since the recipe only calls for one, that leaves five to drink as I cook. Any stout or porter will work. WARNING! Make sure you haven't finished all five before attempting to flambé mushrooms.
11. You can use either bourbon or scotch. The measurements listed are approximate. Scotch gives the chili a slight peaty, smoky flavor. However, depending on the scotch, it can become overpowering, so add slowly and taste as you go. I used a triple peat scotch once and the chili tasted like a Scotsman's armpit, so beware.
12. The chili is great right out of the pot, but it's even better after sitting overnight to marry the flavors.