Okay, here’s the article about “elk chili” in the style of a plain-spoken old woman, with some SEO stuff thrown in:
Alright, let’s talk about this elk chili. My grandson, he’s always goin’ on about fancy food, this elk and that elk. Says it’s better than beef, healthier too. I tell ya, back in my day, we ate what we could get, ain’t nobody talkin’ ’bout no “lean meat” and “marbling.”
But this elk chili, I gotta say, it ain’t half bad. My grandson, he makes it sometimes. First thing he does, he takes some of that bacon grease, yeah, the stuff from breakfast, and browns the elk meat in it. Says it makes the flavor “pop.” Kids these days, always with the fancy words. But I guess it does somethin’ good, makes it smell real nice.
Now, this elk meat, it’s a funny kinda color, real dark red. Ain’t like the beef we used to get. And it ain’t got much fat, that’s what the boy means by “lean” I reckon. He says it don’t taste like deer meat neither, more like beef but…sweeter, he says. I dunno, tastes like meat to me.
Anyway, he browns that meat real good, then he throws in a bunch of other stuff. Onions, gotta have onions, and peppers too. He uses all kinds, green ones, red ones, even them spicy little yellow ones. Says it adds “depth of flavor.” Like I said, fancy words. But it does taste good, I’ll give him that.
Then comes the tomatoes. He uses canned ones, says it’s easier. Back in my day, we used fresh tomatoes from the garden, but times change, I guess. He pours in a big can of them, crushed up, and then some tomato paste too. Makes it nice and thick, you know?
- Meat: You gotta have good meat, elk if you can get it, but beef works too.
- Spices: Chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper – the usual stuff.
- Beans: My grandson likes kidney beans, but pinto beans are good too.
- Secret Ingredient: A little bit of cocoa powder. Sounds weird, but it makes it taste real good, trust me.
And the spices, oh boy, the spices! He puts in a whole lot of chili powder, that’s for sure. And cumin, gotta have cumin. And garlic, lots of garlic. My grandson, he loves garlic. Salt and pepper too, of course. And then, this is the kicker, he puts in a little bit of…chocolate. Yeah, you heard me right, chocolate! But not the sweet kind, the bitter kind, the kind you use for baking. He says it adds somethin’ special. And you know what? He’s right. It does. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, I always say.
Then he lets it simmer, that’s what he calls it, for a long time. Hours, sometimes. Says it lets all the flavors blend together. And he’s right about that too. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes. He usually puts in some beans too, kidney beans mostly. Says they add some “body” to the chili. Again, with the fancy words.
So, how do you make a good elk chili? Well, I ain’t no chef, but I’ve watched my grandson make it enough times to know a few things. First, you gotta have good meat. Elk is best, if you can get it, but beef works too. Then you gotta brown that meat real good, get some nice color on it. And don’t skimp on the spices. Chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper – the usual stuff. And don’t forget that little bit of cocoa powder, it really does make a difference. And then you gotta let it simmer, for a long time. The longer the better.
And there you have it, elk chili, the way my grandson makes it. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good, hearty food. Keeps you warm on a cold day, fills you up good. And that’s all that matters, right?
Now, I hear tell some folks like to add all sorts of other things to their chili. Corn, beer, even coffee! My grandson, he sticks to the basics, but I reckon you can experiment if you want. That’s the fun of cookin’, ain’t it? Making it your own.
So, if you ever get your hands on some elk meat, give this chili a try. You might be surprised. It ain’t your grandma’s chili, that’s for sure. But it’s good. Real good.
One last thing, don’t be afraid to adjust the spices to your likin’. If you like it hotter, add more chili powder. If you don’t like it so spicy, use less. It’s all about what tastes good to you. And that, my friends, is the secret to good cookin’.
Tags: elk chili, elk meat recipe, chili recipe, game meat chili, hearty chili, homemade chili, best chili recipe, easy chili recipe, winter food, comfort food