Rob’s Cottage Chili

I created my first recipe book after I had moved from California to Michigan. That first holiday season away, I got lots of calls requesting certain long-standing family recipes that I had gathered from Moms, Gramas, Aunties, and friends over the years. That next holiday season, everyone got a recipe book with all those and more. I added family stories and memories as well. It’s time these recipes were updated, digitized and shared more broadly. 20 years later, we have lots of new favorites and many old favorites are being converted to Gluten-Free versions. Disclaimer: I’m not a kitchen trouble-shooter, so if you have a recipe that doesn’t turn out for you or you need substitutions, I won’t be able to help you. Just know, that if it didn’t work in my kitchen as it is written, it won’t be here. =)

When the Nurnberger men would head up north to the family cottage to hunt deer, a big pot of this chili would be the first thing cooking on the stove. The original recipe was at quadruple this amount, but I’ve dropped it for me. You can double this recipe for a goodly family pot of chili. Just know you’ll have to adjust the chili seasonings…. I never really knew just how much chili powder was used because some more was added with each tasting - along with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder - and maybe a squirt of ketchup…. And when the batch got to the point where you knew it needed something, but didn’t know what, that’s when you added the beer.

Servings: 4

1½ pounds Beef Stew cubes (you can mix with large-grind hamburger too)

½ large Onion, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, pressed

¼ cup Chili powder (1 jar, fresh - don’t use old stuff)

1 Tb Cornmeal (Cornbread mix works in a pinch)

½ 15-oz can Small Red Beans

½ 15-oz can Pinto Beans

½ 15-oz can Kidney Beans

2 15-oz cans fire-roasted, diced Tomatoes

8 oz can Tomato Sauce

subheading: Have at the ready:

2 Tb Chili Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

Salt to-taste

Pepper to-taste

½ can Beer (any kind)

Sear the meat in a large pot to quickly brown. Add onions, garlic and chili powder and stir til fragrant. Sprinkle with cornmeal and stir in.

Add all remaining canned ingredients. (Remember, this size recipe only uses half the cans of beans.) Don’t drain the cans. Stir well, cover pot and simmer forever. The meat will begin to fall apart when stirred, and the sauce will be thick.

Stir and taste frequently. When you’ve got enough of everything, but it still needs something - add beer. =). Simmer uncovered until thick again.

So, yes, you will have three half-cans of beans leftover after making this reduced version. You can easily double the recipe to use them all and serve a larger crowd, or double down by making a totally different bean dish to freeze or serve later, like ham and bean soup, or 4 bean salad (adding green beans) - you name it. I like to assemble and freeze the remaining beans this way: Double Down Bean Soup So, yes, you will have three half-cans of beans leftover after making this reduced version. You can easily double the recipe to use them all and serve a larger crowd, or double down by making a totally different bean dish to freeze or serve later, like ham and bean soup, or 4 bean salad (adding green beans) - you name it. I like to assemble and freeze the remaining beans this way: Double Down Bean Soup

While waiting for the chili to simmer, spend a few extra minutes creating this from-the-freezer meal. Into a gallon freezer bag toss the following: remaining half-cans of beans. 1 cup cut green beans, ½ cup chopped onions, 2 stalks celery-chopped, 1 small carrot-grated, ⅓ large red pepper-chopped, squirt of ketchup, 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, dash smoked paprika, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp oregano, tsp Mrs Smash, cubes of leftover ham. Freeze. To cook, add bag to large pot, add chicken broth to cover. While waiting for the chili to simmer, spend a few extra minutes creating this from-the-freezer meal. Into a gallon freezer bag toss the following: remaining half-cans of beans. 1 cup cut green beans, ½ cup chopped onions, 2 stalks celery-chopped, 1 small carrot-grated, ⅓ large red pepper-chopped, squirt of ketchup, 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, dash smoked paprika, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp oregano, tsp Mrs Smash, cubes of leftover ham. Freeze. To cook, add bag to large pot, add chicken broth to cover.

Servings: 4

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