If you want to make a ‘Sloppy Joe’ style sandwich, you must first make the chili. This is how we make ours! The recipe has evolved over years, since the college days when chili was the preferred antidote to pizzas. Back then, the chili was mostly meat and beans and tomatoes, but today there are a number of different beans and veggies, as well as more advanced tastes going on. We started adding wine last year, which adds a very nice flavor, and 6 months ago we started adding the sugar after we discovered that is the secret ingredient in most BBQ sauces.
Chili Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves
- 14 ounces fennel (root)
- 1 pound, 8 oz, ground beef
- 3/4 cup of red wine
- 2 cups white wine
- 10 oz dried lima beans
- 10 oz dried black beans
- 1 chipotle chili
- 1 serrano chili (don’t cut, very hot, make sure it doesn’t have holes in it)
- 3 cans tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 1/2 tbs sugar
- 2 tbs tandoori
- 1 tbs paprika
- 1 tbs yellow curry
- 2 tbs dried oregano
- 1 tbs salt
Preparation
Cover the lima and black beans with water for 12 hours before starting.
Cut the garlic cloves into fourths. Cut the fennel into 1/2 x 1/2 inch pieces. Cut the onion and chipotle chili into small pieces.
Cooking
Heat up 2 tbs olive oil in a pot, and when hot, sear the ground beef while continuing to stir and split the meat in the pot until the ground beef is cooked and in small pieces.
Start up your crockpot on slow cooking, about 6-8 hours. Add all the ingredients except the red wine to the crockpot. Stir every hour or so, and when there is two hours left of cooking time, add the wine.
Add salt and pepper to taste, or experiment with your own spices until you reach a spiciness level of your liking.
Since all crockpots are not create equal, keep track of the chili and add water or wine if it’s getting to dry (up to a level about even with the ingredients).