Dutch Oven + Meat + Stuff = tasty goodness

So today was a good day. It started with a purchase of a Dutch Oven (no Jeff, not THAT kind of dutch oven), some meats, various spices, and a few other things. But rather than bore you all with the details, I will lead you through a photographic journey of the creation of my chili.

Step1 : Make the chili powder. (I forgot to take pics of the process, so here's a pic of the chilies used) [Top left: Ancho, Top Right: Guajillo, Bottom: Anaheim]

Step 2: Prepare the vegetables (chopped onions and minced garlic)

Step 3: Brown the meat (I used Beef Chuck and Pork Shoulder, equal amounts)

Man, look at that...so tasty. And all that yummy toasty goodness at the bottom...yum! (I browned all of the meat in small batches so that everything can get nice and brown. Crowding the pot = bad)

The end result of all that browning in the pot. mmmmm....

Step 4: Cook the aromatics down (that means cook the onions and garlic).

After the onions have cooked down to about half their original size (~10mins), add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

The onions are now caramelized, and have picked up all the brown crusty goodness from the browning of the meat. Time to ward off the vampires!

Step 5: Add the chili powder (homemade, of course), cumin, and oregano (I used italian seasoning (a blend of herbs) because I felt like it).

Step 6: Add a can of diced tomatoes and beef stock. (I used beef because I felt the flavors would come out a little better - didnt want to mix three meat flavors together...bleh).

Step 7: Add the meat (and the juices that may have run out)

Step 8: After about 2-3 hours, add the pinto bean + stock puree (I didnt want whole beans in my chili so I pureed both cans of beans)

le Grand finale: serve! (I didnt buy extra onions and cheese, so I made corn muffins)

The meat was fork tender, and the corn bread soaked up the liquid like a sponge. Mmm!

So, the next time I make this, I think I'm going to cut out another cup of stock (I already cut one cup out, but it was too liquidy for my taste). And maybe I'll use the whole beans rather than puree-ing them.

All in all, a great bowl of chili. The fact that I made my own chili powder meant I didn't have to use Tobasco to add some heat to the chili since it was already a good amount of heat in the chili powder.