Ray’s Chili

Chili is a dish not unlike chowder in that you can put anything in it that you can imagine. I have made this same basic recipe turkey, chicken, shark, round steak, shrimp, pork, kielbasa, and probably some other things as well. Almost anything except Tofu or hamburger (just a personal thing with me; you may like them) works. I also don’t use any beans in this recipe, but they also may be added at will.

Heat oil in a large pot and sauté the onions, leeks and garlic until nearly browned. Add the meat and brown it with a lot of stirring.

In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, oregano, cumin and cayenne together and add enough beer to make a thin paste.

Combine the paste into the meat and vegetable mixture. Stir well. Good chili requires a lot of stirring.

Now’s a good time to drink the remaining beer.

Stir in the tomatoes with juice and the tomato sauce and bring the stew back up to a simmer.

Add the peanut butter; it does great things for the consistency of the chili.

Keep the heat at a low simmer, about 160 degrees, for anywhere from 2 to 5 or 6 hours. Stir frequently and add more beer to thin it if it gets too thick, but not too much.

Garnish with chopped onion, grated sharp cheddar, or little goldfish crackers.

Serve with tortilla chips or corn bread.

Serves 8-10

Pacific Chef

1210 11th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-676-1199

In Historic Fairhaven next door to the Colophon Cafe

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