Campfire Chili in a Dutch Oven

You can use any kind of relatively fatty meat with plenty of connective tissue in it such as beef short rib or chuck, pork shoulder, or lamb shoulder. The sausage can be any raw sausage you like the flavor of, or can be replaced with more stew meat. Stick with medium to small beans like kidney, cannellini, garbanzo, or navy. Store-bought chili powder can be used, but for best flavor, grind your own chile powder (or make a chile puree by cooking toasted chiles in water or chicken stock and blending).

Campfire Chili in a Dutch Oven
Portions 4
Difficulté Moyen

Ingrédients

Instructions

  1. 1

    Rinse and drain soaked beans. Heat oil in Dutch oven over hot coals until smoking. Add half of pork and cook until well-browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining half of pork. Transfer second batch to bowl with the first batch.

  2. 2

    Add sausage to pot and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer raw. Return meat to pot with sausage and add onion, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and half of cilantro. Cook, stirring constantly until aromatic and onions have begun to soften, about 4 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add soaked beans, tomatoes, enough water to cover meat and beans by 2 inches, and a large pinch of salt (it should still taste under-seasoned, as it will reduce). Place lid on Dutch oven and cover with hot coals. Allow to heat for 10 minutes then peek and check temperature. Liquid should be mildly bubbling.

  4. 4

    Allow to cook until beans are soft and creamy and meat is completely tender, 3 to 6 hours depending on how hot you cook it (for best results, cook over very low heat for a long period of time). Check on pot as it cooks every hour or so, topping up with water as necessary. After the chili is done, season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the remaining cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately.

  5. 5

    You can use any kind of relatively fatty meat with plenty of connective tissue in it such as beef short rib or chuck, pork shoulder, or lamb shoulder.

  6. 6

    The sausage can be any raw sausage you like the flavor of, or can be replaced with more stew meat.

  7. 7

    Stick with medium to small beans like kidney, cannellini, garbanzo, or navy.