Chili with Brats

I like this green chili sauce, it's chunky with onions, tomatoes and roasted chilies. You can use any brand, or if you can't find green sauce, add some fresh green chilies or a can of chopped green chilies.

Colosimo's Bratwurst, made in Utah.

To continue our string of "Manly" dishes, I thought what's more manly than chili? When my little brother played Pee-Wee football at the old Chico football field, I loved buying Frito Pie. Frito's, chili (probably canned), with grated cheese on top. I remember the chili was made with small red beans, and I loved it. It was different than my Mom's. Dad loved Kidney beans, so she always used those in her chili. I like a combo of beef and sausage in chili. For my Southwest and Texan friends who read this blog - I know you are thinking- No respectable chili has beans as a main ingredient!! Kind of like being from the Northwest and hearing people say they love fish- only Halibut, and then only as "Halibut Au Gratin" which I really dislike. All of that sauce totally masks the fish! Sick. But I like beans more than meat, so I always make chili with beans AND meat. Anyway, moving on. This past week, I made some with a combo of ground beef and Bratwurst. We have a local company that makes great Bratwurst*, I used a plain Brat this time. I don't use a recipe when I make chili - I tried to record the amounts used this time, so I could post a recipe. Oh, and I like the zip the green chili sauce adds. I'm not a big fan of spicy food, so this is a mild chili recipe. My boys love eating the leftovers on top of hot dogs and buns, topped with lots of grated cheese. Testosterone city.

Chili with Brats

3-4 *Bratwurst
1 lb ground beef, extra lean
1-2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
1-2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
3 15 oz. cans small red beans, drained
2 14.5 oz. cans chopped tomatoes, with juices
1/2 jar 16 oz medium green chili sauce (if it's mild, I throw the whole jar in)
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt, ground pepper

Cook the Bratwurst in a pan on medium high heat, turning once. After brown on both sides, add a little water to the pan - about 1/4 cup, and cover. Let steam for 8 minutes. Remove to cutting board. Let sit.
Cook ground meat in large heavy pan. Drain any grease, add chopped onions, pepper and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and chopped garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Add the drained cans of beans, chopped tomatoes, green chili sauce and sugar. If you like a thicker chili, add a can of tomato sauce or some tomato paste. Slice the Bratwurst, add to the pot. Cook for several hours, covered on stove top- low heat.

Tips:
- I usually double this amount.

-*You can substitute any type of sausage - ground or Polish, Italian...it's all good. If you live in or around Utah, I recommend Colosimo's Sausage. They make great Bratwurst, and other flavors of sausage- even an Apple Sausage if you are a "Vegetebelarian" as my kids call it. They have been making sausage since the early 1920's, and they produce a great product free of unmentionable fillers usually found in sausage. AND they sell at Costco, the happiest place on earth, according to Corrine.

-Slow cooking a roast- pork or beef, then shredding or dicing it into the chili is great too. Or cut the roast into small pieces, brown and season and throw all of the ingredients into a dutch oven or crock pot and cook for 10 hours on low heat.

- Beans - you may use canned, or soak and cook some of the 10, 000 pounds of beans you have in your food storage. Any combo - I have tried black, red, chili (which I think are pintos), butter beans (icky), white.

-This is best when cooked for at least 6-8 hours on low heat.

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