CSA Week 22! My Trusty Chili Recipe

chili

Week 22 Bounty: (The Season comes to an end….)

  • 5 leeks
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • bag of sweet potatoes
  • bag of salad mix
  • bag of Swiss Chard
  • 1 bunch of kale

Paleo Chili

  • 2-3 slices uncooked bacon, chopped (use pastured from Hopeful Farms!)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2lbs ground meat (make it grassfed…I’ve used everything from beef to turkey)
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2-2 cups broth or water (I always use homemade chicken stock)
  • 1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes w/liquid (I get to use those I froze from the CSA this year!)
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s)
  • 1-2 carrots, diced (I often sub bell pepper)
  • Optional: some chopped jalapeno if you like it spicy!

Instructions:

In a dutch oven (or large saucepan), cook bacon over medium-low heat until brown and some fat has rendered.  (This is where I add the jalapeno if I’m using it)

Add chopped onion to the pan and stir into bacon until the onion is semi-translucent.  Then add the garlic, and cook for a few more minutes.

Add ground meat and cook until browned. (If you use grassfed or lean meat, you should be golden, but if you use conventional meat, you may have to drain some fat here)

Add spices, broth, tomatoes, and carrots/peppers and stir well.  Cover and simmer over low heat for one hour.  I put that in bold because while the recipe is simple, give yourself time…don’t start it when you are starving!  Stir about every 20 min to keep it from sticking.

Add vinegar and cocoa powder and stir well.  Simmer uncovered for another 20 min.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I often top this chili with fresh avocado, or jalapenos that I have pickled from my summer harvest, or homemade cream fraiche for those enjoying raw, grassfed dairy, or fresh cilantro in the summer.  Possibilities are endless.

One good thing about this recipe, besides how amazing it tastes, is that it makes a ton (leftovers, check).  If you have a big family, double it!  Also, it is a one pot wonder, so less dishes (easy clean up, check).