Cooking Therapy

After a long winter’s day of shoveling snow or after just lazing around the house while it is cold outside, I like to enjoy a nice, hearty bowl of chili. Chili, like many soups and stews, is a great dish for any cold day that can be tailored to the chef’s preference. For my chili, i used bison which is leaner than beef and gives the chili a game taste that takes it up a notch from your standard chili. This can be make “quickly” in a pressure cooker or dutch oven, or, if you are stuck at work and want to come home to a bowl of deliciousness, in a slow cooker so it can cook and be ready by the time you arrive home.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes in Dutch oven or 8 hours and 30 minutes in slow cooker

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground bison meat

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

1 cup celery, chopped

½ can of corn, drained

1 can of roasted tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 can of black beans, drained

3 can of red kidney beans, drained

Kosher salt

Cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 Turkish bay leaf

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

2 ½ cups beef broth or water

Instructions

For the Slow Cooker

• Add the oil to a pan and brown the bison over a low-medium heat.
• Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until softened and onions become translucent
• Drain the bison, onions, and garlic and transfer them to the slow cooker
• Combine the rest of the ingredients
• Cover and cook on low setting for at least 8-10 hours

For the Dutch Oven

• Add the oil in a Dutch oven and cook the bison meat over a medium-high heat until brown
• Transfer the bison meat onto a paper towel covered plate with a slotted spoon and let it drain the oil
• Add jalapeno peppers, celery, and onions and cook until softened
• Add the garlic and the spices, except the oregano, and cook until fragrant and the veggies begin to brown
• Add the the crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste, mix and bring to a simmer
• Add the bison, the beans, corn, and broth into the mixture and stir. Add the bay leaf. If you want your chili with a more stew-like consistency, add more broth or warm water to the Dutch oven
• Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until veggies and meat become tender. Add the oregano towards the end for added flavor
• Add to bowl, garnish with cheddar cheese, sour cream and enjoy!