Something that I do with my chili that is a bit different from several others is the use of BRISKET, yes brisket in my chili. I use it as my primary meat source. I don’t like the texture that you get from ground beef, nor the chunkiness of using diced up beef. I will hit the butcher shop and get a US Choice brisket (I found if I go higher quality brisket than the Choice it takes a little longer to tenderize) and have the butcher cut off about 1/3rd of the Fat Cap and then do a Chili Grind on the meat for me. And yes, they will look at you kind of funny. I have them split the grind into two bags, roughly 4 to 5lbs a bag.
I get the meat home and let one bag of brisket rest while I vacuum seal the other and toss it in the freezer for use as a later date (highly recommend writing the date on your freezer bags!). I will then gather my needed ingredients and get everything all cut up and prepared, such as dicing my onions, mincing my garlic, pre-opening my tomatoes sauce cans, measuring out my powders, etc.
For those asking why, it is because it minimizes that chance for screwing up or getting distracted, it also frees you up to pay more attention to the meat during the browning process.
Example, I was in the kitchen two weeks ago mixing up a new batch of my Sweat and Spicy Pork Rub when we had a few people stop by, love having people over but if you are mixing stuff it can be a little distracting. I was adding my chili powder to the brown sugar and lost count when I was asked a question. Luckily a taste test solved the problem and luckily I didn’t over add. My rub mix calls for 8tbsp of Chili powder and I had only added 6. So got everything thrown together, tasted, added, tasted, added, and bam I was good to go.
Little Side NOTE: I keep detailed notes and I use vacuum packed canisters for my rubs. Allows you to keep the rubs longer and makes sure you have something to compare the new batches to. I spent a lot of time tweaking what I make and it’s nice to be able to compare it to the proven rub.
Back to the Chili…
Here is the list of what you will need:
• 5lbs Brisket Chili Grind
• 1-2 Yellow Onions diced
• 3 Cloves minced Garlic
• Salt and Pepper (meat seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 can diced jalapenos, drain a little juice off,
• 1 and ½ cans Tomatoes sauce
• ½ cup of water, room temp
• 2 to 3 Habaneros minced (wear gloves, you get the capsaicin under your nails and it will burn for a while. *
• 1 box of Carroll Shelby’s Chili mix (I used to do this by hand but with it all in one box – NICE)
Get yourself a large sauce pan, skillet, or Dutch oven. Preference is yours. If I have my PIT fired up I will use the Dutch Oven, if not and am cooking inside, I will use a large sauce pan big enough to hold twice the area of the meat I'm cooking.
Before heating the pan, add the brisket chili grind (Salt and Pepper ) and turn on the burner to low/medium. Don’t want to rush the browning of the meat or burn it. Remember the Brisket has a higher fat content in it so need to brown it up a little slower than you would say ground beef. After its semi browned lower the heat to low, add the onions, garlic, chili powder, cayenne powder, diced jalapenos, and minced Habaneros (the Habaneros are only if you want it HOT). Cook until the Onions are almost translucent.
Drain off the liquid, return to low heat and add the tomatoes sauce, water, and all the spices from the Carroll Shelby Chili seasoning EXCEPT the Masa, save that for later. Simmer this for about 15-20 minutes, stirring often. You want a thick texture. After simmering, taste and add spices to get desired flavor you are looking for. At this point I do add about 2 teaspoons Hot Sauce that is not listed above as it is not available in the stores. My Buddy and BBQ cook team mate, Craig Ross custom makes this sauce using Smoked Hot Peppers (Habaneros and 7-Pod Brain Strains) that were grown in garden.*
Once I have flavor and heat (spice) where I want it I add in the Masa. Take the packet of Masa and add it to a ½ cup of room temperature water, mix together, then pour into the chili. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
The Chili is ready to eat at this point, however while I taste it and get a couple bites, I usually let it sit up overnight so all the spices and flavors meld together. It also works in to the meat allowing for a softer bite.
*My buddy Craig has grown hot peppers for a few years now, and I have grown them for about a year. Huge learning curve and it isn’t forgiving. We grow everything from Jalapenos to Habaneros to Super Hots such as Bhut Jolokia, to the Moruga Scorpion (hottest pepper in the world). We use them in sauces and mixes and more. I love hot and spicy, plus the health benefits are awesome. Anyways, as I said above wear gloves when working with hot peppers. When you mince/dice those hotter peppers up the capsaicin is really fine and will work into your skin and under your finger nails. Heck when dicing up the hottest super hots wear two pairs of gloves. Once in your skin it is there for awhile. Wash thoroughly and make sure to get under the nails. Ask Craig what happens if you don’t!
Enjoy
No comments:
Post a Comment