Peyton Junior’s Famous Quick Chili n' Beer Recipe - Gluten Free

Chili is definitely not a traditional “soul food” dish, and contrary to what some may believe. However, it is not a Mexican dish either. Like most recipes from other cultures, it was adopted by poor and working class folks because it was cheap to make, and our family was no exception.   Some food historians place San Antonio, Texas as chili’s birthplace. However, other historians hint that chili was created by settlers from Spain’s colony, the Canary Islands, where they made a “spicy” Spanish stew similar to chili. Texas cowboys are also credited with making the first “chili mix” around 1850. Trail cooks pounded dried beef, fat, pepper, salt, and the Chile peppers together into rectangles which could be easily stacked and rehydrated with boiling water along the trail. It is suggested that the Chile pepper and other hot spices were actually added to the mix to keep the cattle from eating it.  

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground oregano
2 teaspoon McCormick ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 cups Bard’s Beer (or gluten free beer of your choice)
2 cup cooked kidney beans
2 cup cooked black beans
Sea salt to taste
1 cup chopped cilantro
Hot pepper sauce, to taste (optional)

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.

Add onions and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are clear.

Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin and crushed red pepper and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add ground beef and stir to brown the meat, 6 to 10 minutes. 

Add tomato sauce, gluten free beer and black beans. Season with salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring often, until flavors have melded and sauce is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in cilantro and hot pepper sauce for an added kick.