Beer Recipe: Chilli Con Carne the Dredpenguin way.

Everyone knows how to make Chilli Con Carne.

Everyone thinks that their Chilli Con Carne is the best.

I'm no exception ;-)

Dredpenguin's Chilli Con Carne

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

500g Lean beef mince
2 Beef oxo cubes

Zest and juice of a lime

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

1 Tsp cumin seeds

1 Tsp dried oregano

1 Large onion finely chopped

1 Large garlic clove finely chopped or crushed
1 Tbsp hot smoked paprika (use sweet smoked paprika if you want to tone the heat down)

1 Tbsp mild chilli powder

Small dash of chipotle Tabasco sauce

Large dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 Bottle Ale. I'm using Adanam's East Green.

2 Tins chopped tomatoes

1 Tin kidney beans  in water (drained)

1 Tin kidney beans in chilli sauce

75g Dark chocolate broken into pieces
1Tbsp brown sugar


METHOD:

1: Over a high heat, dry fry the mince with the chilli flakes, cumin seeds and lime zest, in a large pan or wok, until browned.

2:  Add crumbled oxo cubes and the dashes of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces. Continue frying for a minute or two.

3: Add the onions, garlic, oregano. Cook for a further 2 minutes then add the chilli and paprika and stir.

4:  Add the bottle of beer, it will foam nicely to start, stir well and scrape any caught caramelised bits from the bottom of the pan.

5: Cook the beer and mince mixture for about 5 mins until some of the beer volume has reduced.

6: Add the two tins of tomatoes and stir well.

7: Add the two tins of kidney beans and stir again.

8: Bring to rolling boil for 5 minutes.
9: Add the sugar
10: Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and gently cook for at least another 30 mins. The chilli will improve with longer cooking but remember to top up some water to ensure it does not catch on the bottom of the pan. You are looking for a thick sauce.

11: 10 minutes before serving add the chocolate and stir in well as it melts.
12: At flame out add the lime juice.

13: Taste (you were doing so all the way through, right?) and season if required. If it needs more heat add some more chipotle Tabasco.

SERVE:

Will eat well with rice, tacos, baked potatoes, even pasta (make the sauce a bit more liquid as the pasta will absorb some of the water and the dish will end up dry). For perfection serve with a big dollop of sour cream and some chopped coriander.

TASTING NOTES:
It should taste smoky, meaty, rich from the chocolate, sweet from the tomatoes and have both a good chilli kick and a slight sharpness from the lime.

BEER MATCH:
Goes down a treat with a nice strong IPA.