bison chili
this hearty chili is a perfect compliment to a crisp autumn day or cold winter night. it is thick and filling, has a little bit of spice, and deserves to be served with a hunk of cornbread. although this chili is not paleo because of the beans, you can omit them if they give you inflammation. because I like spicy chili, I always add a few shakes of cayenne pepper on top of my chili to give it a real kick.
serves 15
1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 lb. ground bison 1 tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. herbamare 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch of celery, minced
1 large celery root, minced ½ c. parsley, minced 1, 15.5 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1, 15.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1, 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil 1, 14 oz. can diced tomatoes 1 c. basil marinara sauce 3 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. dried basil 2 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. salt
to enjoy:
in a large pnot, saute the onion in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until browned slightly. keep on low heat.
in another pan, break up the 2 lb. of bison and season with the garlic powder, pepper and herbamare. cook on medium heat until all of the bison is browned and it is broken up into small pieces. once fully cooked, drain as much of the liquid fat out of the pan. set aside.
add the garlic, delery, celery root and parsley to the large pot with the onions. saute until the garlic is fragrant over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. add the onion and stir to combine. add the ground bison, both types of beans, the crushed and diced tomatoes, and the marinara sauce and thoroughly mix until all the ingredients are incorporated.
put all seasonings in the pot, cover it, turn the heat down to low, and let sit on the stovetop for an hour. take off heat and let the pot cool to room temperature. place in a fridge for at least one day in order for the flavors to deepen and meld together.
to reheat, place the pot on low-medium heat and warm for 1 hour. if the chili is too thick, add ½ cup of water or more as necessary to reach your desired consistency. warming the chili slowly is important to ensure the bottom will not burn.
pair this hearty chili with cornbread and savor it with good company.