This will need two days to prepare. Or one long one. Prepare the pork a day or two ahead. And cook the beans then, too. Then it’s easier to make the chili the next day.
To prepare the pork
2 to 2 ½ pounds pork butt
1/4 cup ground black pepper
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup chicken stock
Preheat the oven to 300°.
Combine the pepper, brown sugar, paprika, cumin, and salt in a bowl. Rub it all over the pork, and place it in a roasting pan.
- Add the stock to the pan, and add any remaining pepper mixture into the stock.
- Cover the pork with a double layer of foil. Place on layer onto the pork, so that the foil is pressed into the pork, and is flat on the surface of the liquid Place the other piece of foil on top to cover the pan.
- Braise in the oven until it’s done, approximately 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours. It’s done when the meat easily pills apart with a fork, or two knives.
- Remove from pan, reserve the cooking liquid.
- Chop up the meat while it’s still warm. It’s easier than when it’s cold. Chop it into small, barely bite-sized pieces.
- If you do this the day before, refrigerate the meat and the cooking liquid. The next day, remove the fat from the top of the cooking liquids.
The Chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups of cooked red beans (approximately 3 cans, or 1 pound dried beans)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato puree
½ teaspoon Tabasco (or to taste)
In a heated large stock pot, over a medium heat, add the olive oil, and then the onions. Keep the heat at medium/medium low. Sautee the onions for 30 minutes, or until they’re mostly softened, but not browned.
- Add the garlic.
- Increase the heat to medium, and add the oregano, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Sautee for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, or until the onions have darkened from the seasoning.
- Add the chopped pork, and combine with the onions.
- Add the beans, reserved pork cooking liquid, Tabasco, and tomatoes. Cover the chili, and bring to a simmer. Do this over a medium heat. Do not be tempted to increase the heat to high to speed this up. The chili can easily burn.
- Once the chili is at a simmer, reduce the heat to low/medium low, and gently simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours.
- Adjust the seasoning, using chili powder, salt, cumin, and/or Tabasco.
Makes 1+ gallon, or approximately 10-14+ servings.
