Recipe: Pole Line Chili

It is a chilly Saturday night. College football has been kind to my teams once again. Skies are clear and we are set for another heavy frost. What sounds a better match for the late games than a big bowl of ranch chili?

Another recipe from my Trail Boss’ Cowboy Cookbook. This one is from the Butler Ranch in Aundale, Colorado. Here is the background according to the cookbook.

Pole Line is an old line camp on this historic ranch. Primitive as it is, we gather there with friends and family to cut our Christmas trees. It is a wonderful recipe that expands to 30 people. Children enjoy it and it cooks up well on a wood burning stove.

Pole Line Chili
2 lbs. ranch beef
8-oz can tomato sauce
12-oz beer
¼ cup red chili
2 med cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ¼ tsp. dried oregano
Scant ½ tsp. paprika
1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
1 ¼ tsp. salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
¾ lb. cheese, grated
1 can chili beans

Brown meat. Drain grease. Add tomato sauce, beer, ground chili, garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, 1 tsp. cumin and salt. Stir to blend. Bring to boil; lower heat and simmer 1 hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Taste (best part of any cooking duties!) – adjust seasonings and add cayenne and beans, simmer, uncovered for another hour. Stir in cheese, remaining cumin. Simmer ½ hour, watching that cheese does not stick.

I like heat to my chili, so added a Serrano pepper. And I cut the time approximately in half and things still turn out well. Be sure to watch that cheese does not stick. Makes a perfect, easy one-skillet chili dish for a few friends, and would make a great treat for a crowd. Serve with warm cornbread. Enjoy!

Hunk of Meat Monday: Chile Spiked Brisket

Yum, I actually did some more cooking this weekend! Dad gave me a half brisket out of our last fattened calf and decided to see what damage I could do with it. But I'm not exactly one dedicated to laborous cooking (gotta be the quick and easy, nothin wrong with meat and potatoes) so where else to find a good recipe than Twitter! Have to thank Jamie Gunter (Twitter) from Florida for recommending this recipe from About.com. Yeah I would have much prefered a brisket on the grill or smoked, but it's summer, I'm tired, lazy, and won't turn down a great beef crockpot recipe!

Watch out ya'll it's a two-day recipe so you'll have to plan ahead, plus any thaw time if the brisket comes from the freezer.

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pound beef brisket
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 chipotle chiles, minced
• 3/4 cup dark beer
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 to 8 red potatoes, cut in half or quartered if large
• 1.5 cups baby carrots

Preparation
First Day: Place brisket in the crockpot with onions. Mix the next 8 ingredients and pour over brisket. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours.
Second Day: Add potatoes and carrots, cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Serves 6 to 8

Now for the Tried and True Changes:

• Don't over do it on the cinnamon or tomato paste (oops!)
• I cut slits in the brisket and placed some garlic in the slits before cooking. Added awesome flavor!
• I really don't like my beef over cooked, so I stuck with 12 hours total cooking on low. Put it on Saturday night a bedtime, perfect for Sunday dinner. Cooked on low it turned out with a pink center and super juicy. Added the potatoes and carrots before I headed out to feed Sunday morning.

Would have brisket been better in the smoker? Yeah, but this is pretty awesome for some crockpot cookin! I'd recommend it. And sorry for the lack of photos. I got a lil excited because it smelled awesome and had eaten and packed it up before I thought about posting this. So we'll just settle for a photo of the cattle who provide our briskets (From Gate to Plate!)

Beef and Bean Tacos on the Fly

Tonight I had a pound of ground beef sitting on the counter and I really didn't know what to do with it... Someone suggested burgers. What a waste of good potential. Plus I do not have any bread. Someone suggested tacos. Now there's an idea! So this is what I cam up with. Pardon this not being anything fancy, but you have to remember, I just cook with what ever I have on hand.


Beef and Bean Tacos on the Fly
1 lb ground beef
1 small can green chiles
1 small can mushrooms (prefer fresh)
1 can of beans, your choice, I used Chili beans tonight
Jalapeno Spread
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Black olives
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream

Jalapeno Spread
This is something I usually have prepared in the fridge, but it takes little effort to prepare with this meal. I keep fresh jalapenos in the fridge. When they become soft, instead of tossing them, I quarter them, take out the seeds, and chop them finely. Top with lime juice to store in a plastic container in the fridge. This makes a great spread to add some spice to just about any dish.

Tacos

• In a skillet, brown beef then add green chiles and beans, let simmer
• In separate skillet, saute mushrooms in butter or vegetable shortening
• With second skillet heat tortillas
• Fill each tortilla with beef and bean mix, mushroom, jalapeno spread, cheese, olives, and sour cream
• Serve with a cold drink and enjoy your quick and easy meal

This makes for a filling, healthy, quick, and budget friendly meal for the family. Or if you are like me, an easy to store and reheat meal for all you single people out there.

Don't forget to Thank A Farmer for the beef, dairy, grain, and vegetable products used in this meal!