Cowboy Chili and Baked Bean Pot
This hearty cowboy chili is rodeo-ready!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped (optional)
- 1 1/2 pounds coarse-ground sirloin
- 2 Idaho or Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 Fresno chili peppers, sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 large fresh bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bottle beer (12 ounces)
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1/4 cup thick Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can baked beans (16 ounces)
- 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- Scallions, thinly sliced on an angle, for topping
Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon; cook until browned, then remove with slotted spoon. Add the beef, brown well, then add the potatoes, onions, chili peppers, carrot, garlic, chili powder and bay leaf. Season the mixture liberally with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.
Add the beer and stir for about 2 minutes, or until the beer almost cooks out completely. Stir in the stock, thick Worcestershire sauce, baked beans and tomatoes and thicken to your desired consistency, about 20-45 minutes over a steady simmer for a loose to super-thick chili. Cool and store for make-ahead meal.
Reheat over medium heat with a little water, if necessary, to loosen up the chili, so that it will heat through without scorching. Serve in shallow bowls topped with green onions.
