Beef & Pork Chili

Last week my local Publix had coarsely ground beef for chili and it was on sale so I snagged a few packages and now I am wishing I would have grabbed more while they were on sale. The coarse grind really does make a difference because the meat was so soft it was really incredible. I added some Hot NM chopped green chile to this as well to add a bit more heat. I also like to combine some chile powders to add more flavor so I combined ancho and regular chile powder. This dish is really hearty and we ate it with Fritos. I personally like tortillas chips but wanted to try the Frito route but they were a bit too thick for me. There's just something about dipping a tortillas chip or tortilla into some chile when you take a spoonful - yum!

Beef & Pork Chili
Serves 16 

Chili for a Crowd

ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups dried pinto beans 

• 2 1/2 lbs coarsely ground set chuck

• 1 lb lean ground pork

• 3 cups chopped sweet green bell pepper

• 2 cups chopped white onion

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp chopped roasted green chilies

• 3- 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes undrained

• 1/3 cup chile powder (I mixed ancho and regular together)

• 2 tsp each kosher salt, pepper & cumin

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

Topping ideas: avocado, cilantro, red onion, roasted pumpkin seeds, green bell peppers, cheese, tortilla chips

directions

1. Combine beans in a dutch oven with just enough water to cover them. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans.

2. Combine the beans and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the liquid. Return beans to pot with the reserved liquid. Add the undrained tomatoes, peppers, onions, green chile and garlic.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet brown the ground beef and pork, one third at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. Drain off fat. Add the cooked beef to the pot with the beans and veggies. Stir in seasonings and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour stirring occasstionaly. Uncover and simmer for 30 minutes more, stirring occassionally. Stir in the parsley.

Serve each portion with some of the toppings mentioned above.

Beef & Pork Chili

This WILL make a ton of chili but I love that because it freezes really well and makes a terrific lunch! So I would definitely recommend making the full batch. Or this would make a wonderful dish for pot luck and you could also make this in slow cooker as well. 

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.