Cooking Lesson #940: Firehouse Peanut Chili

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? It’s going to be another big sports weekend coming up… World Series baseball, NFL football, NBA basketball, NHL hockey and the national sport of politics… it’s exhausting just thinking about it!
 
You and your buddies are going to need some serious fortification to keep you going through all those games, and we’ve got just the thing… Firehouse Peanut Chili! That’s right, I said Peanut Chili. 
 
If you're a fan of chili, you know that this spicy dish comes in an almost-endless number of varieties. Just attend any chili cook-off and you'll be amazed at the versions you'll see. From mild to hot, chili can feature different types of peppers, meats, spices, noodles and even beans, or better yet, peanuts as in my version.
 
But where exactly did this spicy dish first come into existence? Some would say that ancient man probably figured out how to combine meat and peppers into a tasty stew thousands of years ago.
 
Myths and tall tales are not hard to find when it comes to the origin of chili. For example, one popular tale tells of a Spanish nun, Sister Mary of Agreda, who supernaturally appeared to Native Americans in the early 1600s and returned with the first recipe for chili: chili peppers, venison (deer meat), onions, and tomatoes.
 
The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), does appear to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. An old legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s. Historians do know that chili was a popular meal amongst cowboys and pioneers on the Western frontier.
 
In the 1880s, chili stands became popular in San Antonio. Women known as "chili queens" served "bowls o' red" to customers, and the fame of chili con carne began to spread across the country. The 1893 World's Fair in Chicago featured the dish at the San Antonio Chili Stand. Since that time, chili has become a popular dish all over the United States. Its association with Texas, however, remains quite strong. In fact, the Texas legislature named Chili the official state dish in 1977.
 
Today, playful debates rage at chili cook-offs regarding which ingredients belong in "real" chili. For many Texans, a "bowl o' red" contains nothing more than chili peppers, meat, and spices. Midwestern versions often add beans and additional fat into the mix. It's not uncommon to find regional varieties of chili that also feature tomato sauce and/or pasta noodles.
 
Chili cook-off attendees will often create their own unique version of chili by choosing specific ingredients they feel will create the most intense flavor. You'll find chilis with different types of meat, including beef, sausage, turkey, and venison. Vegetarian chilis are also popular, replacing the meat with a variety of flavorful vegetables. Chili chefs will also customize the spiciness of their chili by selecting a variety of chili peppers that they believe will give their chili the perfect amount of spice and heat.
 
So, why not Chili con Peanuts! This is for real. U.S., southern-grown peanuts (instead of beans), Guinness Stout and cocoa powder come together with lots of flavor and spice in this new popular Firehouse Peanut Chili recipe. The peanuts are a perfect substitute for those old blaster beans. It's just the thing for meals at the fire station, tailgating fare before games or any time of year.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  at least 3 hours (the longer it cooks the better it tastes)
Yield:  5 quarts+
 
Ingredients 
2 pounds raw peanuts (for soaking)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1-1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
12 ounces spicy Mexican chorizo
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 red jalapeño chile peppers, seeded, seamed and chopped
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3 tablespoons beef stock concentrate (Better Than Bouillon)
1 22-ounce bottle Guinness Stout
1 cup water
4 6-inch tortillas chopped
1/8 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Tabasco hot pepper sauce (or more if you like it hotter)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hotter)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
 
Garnish 
1 (10.5 ounce) bag corn chips (I prefer Fritos)
1 (8 ounce) packaged shredded Cheddar cheese
1 diced red onion
 
Directions

1. Soak the peanuts in cold water overnight.  Change the water at least once during the soak.
2. Place a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil and crumble the ground chuck and chorizo into the hot pan and cook until evenly browned.
3. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers and chili peppers; sauté for four minutes.
4. Skim off any excess grease.
5. Drain the presoaked peanuts and rinse in cold water.
6. Add the presoaked peanuts, the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir to coat the peanuts.
7. Add the beef stock concentrate, Guinness, water and tortillas pieces.
8. Season with the chili powders, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cocoa powder, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika and sugar.  Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
9. After 3 hours, taste to test for the doneness of the peanuts and adjust salt, pepper and chili levels to your taste if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the richer the flavor.
10. Remove from heat and serve over Frito Scoops with shredded cheese and diced onion or refrigerate and serve the next day.

ChefSecret:  The tortillas serve as a thickener to help emulsify the chili. You can also thicken and add a toasty flavor to the chili by using Fritos Corn Chips which will give you a cornier flavor.

Quip of the Day: "Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you over the head with experience."
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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