4 x 4 Chili

With the weather finally starting to act like January in Chicago, I thought this would be the perfect weekend to make my chili.  (As I type this, it is 6 degrees out with a real feel of -20!)  I usually make a huge batch every winter and freeze portions to use throughout the rest of the year.

I've been tweaking my recipe for years, and have affectionately named it '4x4 Chili' because it has 4 types of meat and 4 types of beans.  So, for those purists out there who don't think beans belong in chili, you are going to want to skip over this particular blog! :)

Habaneros from my garden

With my garden suffering from the extremely hot temperatures this past summer I didn't have any home-grown tomatoes or sauce to use, but I did harvest and freeze a few habaneros so those made it into the mix.  It actually doesn't make the chili super spicy, but rather adds a floral and "quiet heat" to the end product that I just love.

So to get started, I gather up everything I need and start prepping.  Having a well prepared 'mise en place' is the key to staying sane when you are making large quantities of something.  In fact, it actually makes cooking in general a lot more enjoyable and helps ensure a successful end result.

All the veggies are chopped and ready!

All that fancy french really just means having everything in its place - - Get all the veggies that you are going to use chopped, all the spices set aside, and find and lay out any equipment the recipe calls for.  In this case, that was the pot I was using to make the chili, a can opener, colander, tongs, a knife and a few bowls that I planned to use as I cooked the various meats. I also use this time while I am preparing the ingredients to read through any recipe in its entirety.  You never want to just read it as you go, even if you have made it a dozen times.  Take the few minutes and read through it to see if you are forgetting anything you might need (or as a reminder to preheat the oven which I would invariably always forget if I don't follow my own advice!)

One of the perks of having a husband that home brews is that he likes to upgrade his equipment, so I was quick to grab onto his "used" brew kettle when he bought a new one.  It is the perfect pot to make huge batches of chili and stews.  Of course, you don't have to cook such a large batch, or have a brew kettle to make chili but it sure is a lot of fun if you do!

Mexican-style chorizo

So I mentioned that the name of my chili was penned due to its 4 different meats and beans.  I like the variety it gives the chili; each of meats add something unique to the dish.  I used sweet italian sausage (taken out of the casing and browned), Good 'ol Wisconsin brats (cooked through and sliced into 1/4 'coins'), ground turkey (much less greasy than beef with all the same texture), and finally, Mexican chorizo.  If you haven't used chorizo before I recommend seeking it out.  It provides great flavor and spice.  For all the times I have made this chili and entered it into friendly cooking "competitions" it is always the brats that people say they like the best.  The different texture of having the larger pieces of bratwurst is a really great contrast against the other ground meats.

Garlic infused olive oil!

Another trick I use to amp up the flavor profile is using garlic-infused olive oil.  I make it in advance by lightly simmering the olive oil with a couple whole garlic cloves.  I discard the used cloves, let it cool completely and then keep the batches in small Weck jars so it is always at hand when I need it.  The price of speciality olive oils is crazy and for something as straightforward as this it pays to just do it yourself at home.  Just a few tablespoons in the bottom of the pot to saute the veggies really adds flavor into the base of this dish.

Which vegetables go into my chili really depends on what I can get my hands on.  Like I said earlier, if I have the tomato sauce from my garden that is preferable but there is nothing wrong with buying canned.  In fact, I've found that using a mix of ingredients really adds to the texture of the chili.  To that end, I use tomato puree, tomato sauce, diced tomato, tomato paste and whole peeled tomatoes which I crush up with my hand and add into the pot as well.  It might sound like overkill but trust me it is as easy as opening up cans and dumping them into the pot so why not go that extra step and think about including a variety of textures and flavors?

I love my chili to have some kick so when it comes to the peppers, I use red and green bell peppers, poblano and the habaneros you saw earlier.  The habaneros I just place into the pot whole and fish them out when I am done.  If I want it to be even spicier I add in jalapeños or a can of chipotle in adobo (roasted jalapeños), but this time I kept it on the milder side.  Along with the peppers, I chop up onions and slice garlic as well.  All of that goes into the pot with the Salt and Pepper, Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes and some Dried Oregano.  Give the spices a little bit of time to toast before you start adding in the tomato products.  It gives the chili a greater depth of flavor and also helps to flavor the veggies which will be cooking in the sauce for a long time.

All the beans in the pot - you can see the habaneros too!

For the beans, I use cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, black beans and red beans.  Again, thinking about texture, overall flavor and appearance, each of the beans brings something tasty to the table.  The cannellini beans are creamy in texture and also stand out and lighten up the color of the chili.  The garbanzos are a heartier bean and stay firm throughout the long cooking process.  Black beans happen to be my husband's favorite so those go in by default and the red beans are a more traditional 'meaty' choice.  I dump them all into a large colander and give them a good long rinse.  Using canned beans is perfectly fine but you do have to rinse them well.

You will want to let the tomatoes cook down and give them a taste to see if you need to add sugar.  Sometimes the acidity of the tomatoes really makes that a necessity.  Tasting as you go is the only way to ensure it will taste good in the end!  After I have browned off the meats, and sliced up the brats I add them to the pot as well.  I give it time to warm through and check on salt and pepper levels, and other spices as well at this point.  Depending on what kind of sausage you got, or the brand of chorizo you may want to up the spices or temper them.

Sriracha Hot Sauce!  Yummy!

Since both my husband and I love spicy food, I also added in some Sriracha this year.  I am absolutely in love with this product so I wanted to give it a try in my chili.  I think it added more depth of flavor and just the kick I was hoping for.  We use it on tacos, nachos, stir fry and even on baked potatoes for some added heat.  It does pack a punch though so use it judiciously!

At this point you can turn your attention to cleaning up whatever pans you have used, wipe down your cutting board and let the chili get happy on the stove on a low simmer.  The longer you let the flavors meld together the tastier it will be.  Like most stews and soups, they are usually better the next day.

I usually plan to eat at least one meal right away when I make chili so I start a pot of water for boiling the pasta I serve with it.  I don't put the pasta into the chili because it would just get overcooked and soggy when you reheated it.  It also doesn't freeze very well so I make fresh pasta each time I want to serve the chili.  Of course this isn't a requirement if your family doesn't prefer "chili mac" like we do.   There are plenty of other tasty accompaniments that go well with chili too.  Just a few I like include, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced raw onions, and jalapeños.  It is really up to your tastes and what you and your family likes to eat.  It makes it fun to let each person customize their bowl and level of heat.

Storage & Freezing
One of the best things about making this in large batches is that I get to store it and eat it the rest of the winter.  I can warm up the chili after work for a quick meal, or use it for last minute dinner guests with just a quick prep for the toppings.

Place the bag in the colander
for an easy hands free assistant! 

To freeze the chili, the best method I have found is to place it into zip lock baggies.   To make it easy to fill the bags, I place a dish towel into a colander, and set a zip lock bag inside.  That way you can scoop the chili into the bag without making a huge mess.  Its like having 2 extra hands!

Lay baggie flat and remove
the air before sealing it

Once you have it filled to the desired quantity - - I freeze them in servings for 2 adults for just my husband and I - - you simply lay it flat on the counter and press out the extra air.  You can stack them up in the freezer this way and they take up very little space.   To serve it, you just take the bag out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge.

I hope you have found some of these tips and suggestions helpful and let me know how it turns out if you decide to make some chili this winter.

Get Your Spoon Ready!

Finished Chili Ready To Eat!