Spiced Chili — The Version I’ve Been Working Toward for Years

Drove up into the Crazies on Thursday to scout. Left before dawn, parked at the trailhead, walked in about three miles to the bench country I've hunted since I was old enough to carry a rifle. The light came up slow and pink and the aspens are fully turned now, that specific gold that only exists for about two weeks and then it's gone. I didn't see anything dramatic — a few does, some sign on the south-facing slope, one set of large tracks near the spring. Good enough information. I know where to be come October.

I've been looking at last year's elk chili recipe and the year before that. I keep notes in a spiral notebook — the ingredients, the proportions, what I did differently each time, whether the change was worth making again. The chili has been getting closer to something over the past three or four years. Closer to what I can't quite say. A feeling in the mouth, a depth of flavor that doesn't announce itself but just keeps building. Getting there requires the right dried chiles — I've been using a combination of ancho and guajillo — and the right amount of time, which is more than most people give it.

This year I'm planning to try adding non-alcoholic beer to the braise. I've seen a few recipes do it with regular beer and the principle makes sense — the malt adds a kind of roundness, a little bitterness that cuts the richness. The non-alcoholic version works just as well for the chemistry. Tom Whelan mentioned it once years ago and I filed it away. Some pieces of advice need to wait for the right moment before you use them.

Finished the essay about Jen. Or finished a version of it. Won't post it. But having it on paper means the feelings are somewhere organized, which is what the writing does for me when it's doing its job. I put it in the same folder where I keep the private ones. Someday maybe. Not yet.

The scouting trip confirmed what I needed to know, and now the waiting begins — which means the planning begins too, including the chili. This spiced chili is the version I’m running this year, built around the dried chile combination I’ve been refining and, for the first time, finished with a non-alcoholic beer in the braise the way Tom suggested. It’s not a dramatic recipe. It just keeps getting better the longer you let it go, which is exactly the kind of cooking I have patience for this time of year.

Spiced Chili

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 2 hr 30 min | Total Time: 3 hr | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground elk (or coarsely ground beef chuck)
• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 bottle (12 oz) non-alcoholic dark beer (or regular dark beer)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Toast and rehydrate the chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Press each dried chile flat against the skillet for 15–20 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened. Transfer to a bowl, cover with 2 cups of boiling water, and let soak for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, then blend chiles with reserved liquid until smooth. Set aside.
2. Brown the meat. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground elk in two batches, breaking it apart and browning well, about 5–6 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside. Do not drain the fat.
3. Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
4. Deglaze and add the chiles. Pour in the non-alcoholic beer and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chile puree, diced tomatoes, beef broth, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
5. Return the meat and braise low. Add the browned elk back to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 20–30 minutes. The chili should be thick and deeply colored.
6. Add beans and finish. Stir in the kidney beans. Cook uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, until the chili has reduced to your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust salt. Let rest off heat for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 370 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 8g | Sodium: 610mg