Slow-Cooker Chili & Jalapeño Corn Muffins (GF)

Every Super Bowl, my friends and I look forward to a giant hot bowl of chili to sit and watch the big football game. All my friends look forward to it. If I changed the menu, I do not know if they would be too happy. This chili sticks to your ribs, warms you up with the complex, deep flavors and slight heat from the chipotles (smoked jalapeños.) Ground meat, tomatoes, chili peppers, beans and a wide array of seasonings/aromatics are the basis of my recipe. With chili, the longer it cooks, the more the flavors marry together. I find this to be true with dishes that have a tomato base with many seasonings. That means you can throw it together after lunch, put it in the slow-cooker, and it will be perfect come game time. Leftovers are even better the next day.

My favorite pairing for chili is jalapeño corn muffins. Gluten-free, of course. They are delicate, light, spongy, corny, slightly spicy and sweet. These little treats disappear quickly. Make sure to have other accoutrements for the chili such as shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocados or guacamole, Fritos Scoops. I usually set up a buffet on the kitchen counter with bowls, spoons, napkins, of course the chili on ‘keep warm’ and all the fixings. Best to keep the corn muffins and scoops/chips in the center of the action by the TV.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Slow-Cooker Chili:

• 1 ½ pounds ground sirloin
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, diced small
• 1 green pepper, diced small
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large can (29 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 large can (29 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 small can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 can (16 oz) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• ~1/3 small can (+/- to taste) chipotles in adobo, run through mini-processor
• 1 tablespoon sea salt (+/- to taste)
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder or ground ancho chilies
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn meal or masa flour
• As needed: water/broth

For the Jalapeño Corn Muffins:

• 1 packet (200 grams) Chebe or modified tapioca starch
• ¾ cup (130 grams) cornmeal
• ¼ cup (50 grams) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups (470 grams) buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature
• 1-2 pickled jalapeños (canned), seeds removed, diced very small
• Dash of garlic powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

For the Slow-Cooker Chili:

Sauté the ground sirloin in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, turn the slow-cooker on high, and put in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and the beans. Once the meat has all browned, strain off fat/liquid, and add into slow-cooker.

Return skillet to low-medium heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, onions, green peppers, and garlic to sweat. Once it is tender and transparent, add to the slow-cooker and stir well. Add in the processed chipotles in adobo, salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn meal/masa and mix well. Adjust seasonings, salt, heat (chipotles) as needed. Cook for at least one hour on high with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Taste again and adjust as needed. Add liquid as needed if it gets too thick for your taste. Turn down to low or keep warm until guests arrive. Can tolerate 3-6 hours of heat easily. Serves 6-8.

For the Jalapeño Corn Muffins:

Preheat oven to 400^oF. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the buttermilk and eggs. Mix well with a wooden or silicone spoon. Spray two small muffin tins well with non-stick spray. Fill each cup 2/3 full with batter. Bake for about 15 minutes (20-25 minutes for regular size muffins), until golden brown, and toothpick comes out clean. Note: since this recipe uses baking powder, the batter must be cook sooner than later for best results. Makes about 36 small muffins.

-Erin Swing
The Sensitive Epicure