OK I used the basic recipe from Bon Appetit here:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Texas-Beef-Brisket-Chili-350108First I will warn you. This recipe filled my ENTIRE crock pot that Sharon & John got us for the wedding. This pot is HUGE and so if you need to cook the meat and then remove some to put the butternut squash in at the end don't feel bad. I removed about 6 cups of meat, drained about 8 oz of fat off the top, put the butternut squash in, and then covered it with as much meat as would fit in the pot. I think this made sure the squash was covered enough by juices to cook them thoroughly without worrying about them sitting on top and drying out. I cannot imagine a pot big enough to cook this in that fits in your oven. I don't recommend halfing the recipe tho. I don't think it would taste right. Maybe take 2 pots at once to make it?
But since I changed it some (not alot) I will post my version. I added raisins and beans to the chili.. plus I didn't use ancho chiles. I wanted to use black beans but I grabbed the wrong can and used an organic kidney bean that was so dark it fooled me into thinking I opened the black beans. I didn't want to waste them so I put them in the pot. Next time I will use black beans, altho these were a tasty substitute.
Last notes: Making the chiles and blending them made me think this was going to be VERY spicy. My nose hairs burned for 2 hrs after making the paste. It cooked down without any real super spiceyness, so if you like it to be spicier I would a) add another batch of the paste when you add the squash at the end or b) let it sit overnite. I wondered if it would have been more spicy the next day.
Brisket and Butternut Squash Chili
6 large dried new mexico chiles (bought at the spice corner in S. Philly)
1/2 cup raisins
6 ounces bacon, sliced
4 cups onions, chopped
1 5-pound beef brisket, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes (Espositos was the place I got mine.)
Coarse kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
9 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 10-ounce can of Ro*tel (diced tomatoes with green chiles)
1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer (I used Sol)
1 4-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
1 10-ounce can of kidney beans (altho black beans are also a good choice)
2 cups 1-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)
Seed and stem the dried chiles. Place chiles and raisins in large bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large oven-proof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat, turn heat to medium low.
Drain chiles and raisins, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles and raisins in a cuisinart. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.
Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover, add beans and stir. Cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Drain as much fat off the top of the chili as you can (I used a turkey baster which worked wonders), remove about half the meat to another bowl, add squash to pot, cover with as much of the meat you can fit into the pot. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
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