Smoky Lamb and Chorizo Chili

Since it suddenly became Fall this weekend (seriously, the temperature dropped 20 degrees and the leaves started hurling themselves off the trees, almost overnight), my long-sleeved shirts have come out and my mind has started filling with stews, bogs, and burgoos. To kick off the season of stick-to-your-ribs eating, I am starting with this lamb and chorizo chili. It brings all the hearty, filling heat you want, and brings in some slightly gamey, pleasantly funky flavors from the lamb.

The toppings here are key, and in fact, are as much a part of the recipe as the chili itself. This chili counts on some additional toppings to brighten up the smokey, rich flavor of this big bowl of meat, so don’t skimp on the sour cream, cheddar, and chopped green onions.

If you’ve never worked with dried chilies before, they’re fantastic. If you have trouble finding them, buy several bags at Whole Foods or your local Hispanic market, as we’ll use them a few times, and they keep forever. To de-seed and de-stem, hold them over the garbage and start ripping them up; the seeds will fall away into the trash, and you can toss the stems.

Be sure, also, to use Mexican-style chorizo, as opposed to the cured Spanish style. The brighter red and more synthetic-looking you can find, the better, as the oil that seeps out will be used for sauteing all the other ingredients. After all ingredients have been combined, you can skim some of the neon-orange oil off, but this isn’t usually a problem.

Smoky Lamb and Chorizo Chili
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 3 ounces dried ancho chilies
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs pork chorizo, casings removed (about 4 or 5)
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 ball of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
• 1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained
• Salt and black pepper
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Sliced green onions
• Sour cream
• Pickled jalapenos, chopped
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

Method:

1. Combine first three ingredients in saucepan. Cover and simmer until chilies soften and broth turns dark red, about 10 minutes. Puree mixture in food processor. Strain mixture through mesh strainer, pressing on solids until all liquid is drained.
2. Cook chorizo in a large pot over medium heat until drippings flow freely. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin, and saute until chorizo starts to brown and onions soften, about five minutes.
3. Crumble lamb into pot, and add salt and pepper. Saute until lamb is no longer pink. Add chili liquid, and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for one hour.
4. Add drained pinto beans and simmer until thick, about 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream, green onions, grated cheddar, cilantro, and pickled jalapenos.

Makes about 8-10 servings, depending on how cold it is outside.

Tagged as: beans, chili, chorizo, lamb

About the Author: Malcolm Bedell

My first memories of cooking start in Maine at six years old, when I wore a yellow rainslicker to avoid getting spattered by the bacon I was frying in a skillet. My interest in both Mexican cooking and recreating classic New England dishes from scratch developed while living in Mexico, on a steady diet of pork and habanero peppers. You can see more of my writing and photography online on Serious Eats, the Huffington Post, BlogHer, and Foodista, as well as in print for Downeast, Indulge, and Cigar Snob magazines.