Extra Meaty Pork Chili Recipe

Three Forms of Pork Make This Easy Chili a Meat Lover’s Dream

Jan 7, 2009 Norman Kolpas

Ground pork, fresh pork sausage, and smoked ham join forces to give robust flavor to a quick chili recipe with just enough heat for every taste.

Chili con carne lovers adore meaty chili. After all, con carne means “with meat,” so the more meat the better makes perfect sense.

The generous presence of three different forms of pork—ground pork, fresh pork sausage, and smoked ham—inspired this robust chili’s name. The seasonings aren’t too hot, so the rich flavors of all that pork still come shining through.

The main chili featured in the recipe is a large, long dried red chili, sometimes referred to as an Anaheim chile or, when grown in New Mexico, a New Mexican red chile. Those from New Mexico tend to be somewhat hotter, though at their hottest these chilies are still only moderately spicy. Toasting before use helps bring out their flavor.

To toast dried chilies:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wipe the chilies clean with a kitchen towel and spread them on a baking sheet.
Roast in the oven until their color darkens and they are aromatic, watching carefully so they don’t burn, 3 to 5 minutes.
Leave them uncovered at room temperature until cool enough to handle.
Pull out the stems, split open the chilies, and remove their seeds.

Extra Meaty Pork Chili

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

5 dried long red chilies, toasted, stemmed, and seeded (see instructions above)
2 1/4 cups good-quality canned beef broth
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium-sized red onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, halved, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons mild pure chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound fresh pork sausage, casings removed
1/2 pound smoked cured ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

In a blender or food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade, process the dried chilies with 1/4 cup of the beef broth until smoothly pureed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon and sauté, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add the ground pork and the sausage and sauté, stirring frequently to break up the meat, until they lose their pink color, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the pureed chilies, remaining broth, ham, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil; then, reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the chili is thick, about 1 hour.
To serve, ladle the chili into individual bowls. Garnish with cilantro.

Steamed white rice makes an excellent accompaniment. Spoon it into each bowl before ladling in the chili, or pass the rice on the side.

Looking for other great chili recipes? Check out Sirloin Steak-Lover's Chili, Chili Dog Chili, or Chicken Breast White Bean Chili!

The copyright of the article Extra Meaty Pork Chili Recipe in Party Food is owned by Norman Kolpas. Permission to republish Extra Meaty Pork Chili Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Dried long red chilies.