Smoked Chili

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup diced smoked chicken-apple sausages, such as aidells (1 link)
• 3/4 lb ground lamb
• 3/4 lb ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (about 1 large onion)
• 1 1/3 cups chopped fennel (about 1 small bulb)
• 2 tablespoons chopped red chili peppers, such as fresno peppers
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed, toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 (32 ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juice
• 1 (25 ounce) bottle smoked beer, such as schlenkerla smokebeer (3 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight in water and drained
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• sour cream, for garnish
• 6 scallions, and pale green parts only, thinly sliced

Recipe

• 1 heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. add the sausage, lamb, and beef. cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until meat is browned and no bits of pink remain, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• 2 add the onion, fennel, red chile, garlic, chili powder, cumin, fennel seed, cayenne, and tomato paste, and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. stir in the sugar, crushed tomatoes and juice, smoked beer, and soaked kidney beans.
• 3 bring the chili to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until beans are tender, about 90 minutes. just before serving, stir in the salt.
• 4 serve the chili garnished with sour cream and sliced scallions, and, of course, with a glass of smoked beer.