Tonight's Dinner

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

4 strips bacon, cut into ½" pieces
3 lb. ground dark-meat turkey
4 cups chopped onions
¼ cup minced garlic
2 medium fresh jalapeño chiles, minced (ribs and seeds removed, if desired)
3 Tbsp chili powder
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tsp ground cumin
2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes in purée
2 Tbsp unsulfured molasses
1 cup water
4 tsp coarse salt
3 (15-oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Heat your biggest Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until crisp and brown, 6–8 minutes. Raise heat to high; add turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 8–10 minutes.

Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno; cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cocoa powder, and cumin; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.

Break up tomatoes with a spoon or your hands (fun!), and stir them in along with the puree. Add molasses, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, partially covered, 30 minutes.

Add beans; continue cooking, uncovered, until meat and beans are very tender and chili is thick, about 30 minutes more. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, cornbread, whatever.

Comments

[Tammy]

Lookin' good! How's the Stillman's bacon? And is that Dragonwagon cornbread I see?

[Karen]

I forgot to defrost the Stillman's bacon, and I needed only 4 slices, so this is just the nice thick dry-rubbed stuff from the Whole Foods butcher counter. But that is indeed CDW's skillet-sizzled cornbread. Major crowd-pleaser! This chili was a bit much for my kids, but we grownups liked it mucho.

[Susan]

The flavoring seems similar to Cincinnati Chili which is one of my favorites. Served over spaghetti which was new to me 10 years ago when I first experienced it. http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/CincinnatiChili.htm

[GetSheila]

OMG! I found this recipe through Woulda Coulda Shoulda and made it last night. OMG!

blah blah blah HEAVEN blah blah blah

And I thank you from the bottom of my heart.