Andrew Zimmern’s Pork & Black Bean Chili 2024

Yield: 8-10 servings
Time Involved: 3 hrs 30 mins, plus overnight soaking

Ingredients

• 8 cups vegetable oil
• 3 lbs uncooked bacon, chopped
• 40 pounds trimmed pork shoulder, remove all visible fat, cut into 1/3-inch dice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 25 poblano chiles—stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch dice
• 25 large onions, cut into 1/3-inch dice
• 5 cups of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, mashed with a fork
• 8 habanero or scotch bonnet peppers, minced
• 3 cups minced garlic cloves
• 7 cups ancho chile powder
• 4 cups cumin
• 1 cup dried oregano
• 5 cups minced cilantro
• (20) 28-ounce cans of tomato puree
• 20 pounds dried black beans, soaked overnight in a large volume of water and drained
• 9 gallons of rich natural chicken broth
• 1 gallon of full bodied beer
• 4 cups corn flour
• 4 cups cold water

Instructions

In a large tilt skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate.

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the poblanos, onion, chipotles, hot peppers, garlic, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano and minced cilantro and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, drained beans, chicken stock, beer and cooked bacon and bring to a low boil.

Lower lid and simmer over low heat until the beans are just tender, about 2 hours. Uncover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 to 45 minutes longer. Beans should be perfect at this point.

In a bowl, whisk the corn flour with the water until smooth. Slowly whisk the mixture into the chili until incorporated. Season the chili with salt and pepper, and serve.

GARNISH– each portion should come with a lime wedge, and a teaspoon of chopped fresh cilantro on top. Pass a basket of saltines (individual packs) with the chili