Amazing Chili

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bacon (about 5 ounces or 4 to 5 standard grocery store slices)
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 medium stalks)
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 bell pepper)
• 1/3 cup sliced garlic (about 6 medium garlic cloves)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted fennel seed, ground in spice grinder
• Pinch of cayenne, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground clove
• Two 27-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• About 20 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied in a bundle with kitchen twine
• 1 bay leaf
• For garnish: grated sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions
• Hot sauce, to taste
 
Directions:
1. Heat a large pot over high heat. Add ground pork and bacon; cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until well browned, about 20 minutes. (Meat will release water. Once water evaporates, the meat will begin to brown. Keep running the spoon over the bottom of the pot to release any bits collecting there. This nice, caramelized meat is referred to as “fond.”)
2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and spices. The vegetables will also release water that will allow you scrape even more fond from the bottom of the pot. Cook until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, thyme, bay leaf, and one quart of water; simmer for an hour.
4. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, and hot sauce, to taste.
 
Sometimes you need a timeless classic, and that’s this dish. There are so many varieties of chili, each with their own merits, but Glass Onion co-owner and chef Chris Stewart swears by his straightforward rendition. At the Glass Onion, they have been known to serve it over Rio Bertollini’s cavatelli pasta as their own “souped up” Chili Mac! (Note: Chris loves his chili with lots of beans, but feel free to cut back if you prefer less.)