Autumn Chilli

I’ve made a variant of chilli for years, finding a mix of different recipes and ideas to test out different things. I’ve done the chocolate thing, the wine thing, the lager thing, the pork shoulder thing… the joy is in trying new things, really, to see what works.

Last week I popped in to my local butcher (Glyn Thomas in Lindfield), and saw they had venison mince in. Between us, we quickly hatched a plan for using half venison, half pork mince, and some chorizo all together in an autumn chilli. Using Badger’s Poacher’s Choice ale as stock doubles down on the autumn flavours.

The idea for the recipe is that you cook it as a big batch, eat it that night, and then freeze the rest for dinners. The quantities here make enough chilli for six-eight adults, so scale up or down accordingly. The finished chilli is warm rather than spicy (so the children are happy to eat it too).

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp sunflower oil
300g minced venison
300g minced pork
150g whole chorizo (cubed)
1 large red onion (chopped finely)
1 clove garlic (peeled & chopped)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 sweet red peppers (chopped)
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 x 500ml Badger ‘Poacher’s Choice’ (or other ruby ale)
2 tins red kidney beans (drained, rinsed)

Optional spicy kick — 2 red chilli peppers, or 1 tsp chipotle chilli flakes

METHOD

1. Turn on the oven to 140C (or 120C for fan).
2. Put 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a large, ovenproof casserole, and heat on the hob.
3. Brown the venison mince in the casserole, then remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Add a second tbsp of oil, and brown the pork mince, then remove the pork to the same bowl.
4. Add the last tbsp of oil, and add the red onion, garlic and chorizo. Stir for about a minute.
5. Add the cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper to the onion mix now. Stir and cook until the edges of the chorizo cube start to brown and the onion transparent (If you do want to make it extra spicy, then at this stage also add chopped red chilli peppers, or a tsp of chipotle chilli flakes. Alternatively, you can add some chilli flakes to individual portions, which is what I do.)
6. Return the venison and pork mince to the casserole, and add the chopped sweet red peppers and the tins of chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
7. Pour in two third of the Poacher’s Choice ale, mix, and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for ten minutes.
8. Put the casserole into the oven, without a lid for 1 hour.
9. After an hour remove the dish from the oven, stir the chilli, scraping all the crispy bits from the edges of the pan back into the chilli, and then put back in the oven.
10. Repeat this at least twice more, so that the chilli has had about three hours in the oven. If it’s drying out a bit too much, add some boiling water from the kettle or use the rest of the Poacher’s choice.
11. For the last twenty minutes of cooking in the oven, add in the drained and washed red kidney beans, stirring through as you do.
12. Serve with rice, and a pot of sour cream on the side.