Smoky Brisket Chili

Did you ever try a recipe only to find the result disappointing?  Such is the case with Smoky Brisket Chili.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s good enough, just not up to Orange Bee standards.

If you asked my man, Dan he’d say,  “chili shouldn’t have beans”.  This chili has two kinds of beans so I knew when I started out there would be a problem with it’s acceptance.  Three things it does have going for it, beer, brisket and it cooks in your crockpot. When I think about chili I visualize browning meat and onions in a dutch oven, stirring and adding ingredients as you go, and once lidded taking a peek every so often, stirring and smelling it all coming together.  When I cook with a crockpot I don’t open the lid to stir or smell, albeit the aromas waft through the kitchen.  There is no browning of the meat or onions just dumping all ingredients into the bowl of the slow cooker, putting on the lid and walking away for a few hours.  That last aspect being one I like, but not for chili.  I  feel the need for a bit of “slaving away” over a pot of chili.

My prize winning chili is a lengthy process and I have not and am not posting the recipe.  This chili is similar to my “First Place Chili” and you ‘ll notice “no Beans”.  I won’t make this crockpot version again but if you’re one of those folks who likes beans in your chili, and the ease of throwing all the ingredients together in one big pot you might want to give this recipe a try.  It does deliver a nice smoky flavor, tender chunks of beef brisket and it is immensely filling.  If you are wondering how this fits into “all recipes with honey all year”, notice it does have a couple of tablespoons of dark honey added to help balance out the smoky flavors.

Enjoy!

Smoky Brisket Chili

Ingredients:1 cup low-sodium beef broth1 cup dark beer1 tablespoon cider vinegar2 tablespoons cornstarch2 tablespoons tomato paste2 tablespoons dark honey2 tablespoons chili powder1 tablespoon smoked paprika3/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepper2 pounds flat-cut beef brisket, fat trimmed, cut into chunks1 sweet onion, chopped3 garlic cloves, minced1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes1 can red beans, rinsed and drained1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:In the base of a slow cooker, combine broth, beer and vinegar.  Whisk in cornstarch until dissolved.  Stir in tomato paste, honey, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Stir in beef, onion, garlic and tomatoes.  Cover and cook on high power for 6 hours or low power for 8 hours.  Stir in beans just to heat through at the end.