Barnyard Chili Recipe

Despite the name, neither the pumpkin nor the beer in this chili recipe will make you drunk.

But I do recommend serving yourself a frosty glass of the beer you’ll be using in this.

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients; it’s truly a “dump it all in one pot” type of meal.

PREP TIME20 minutes

COOK TIME2 hours25 minutes

TOTAL TIME2 hours45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 2 Anaheim chiles, chopped
• 1 poblano chile, chopped
• 1 habanero chile, minced
• 3 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, chopped
• 3 cups diced pumpkin
• 2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer
• 1 cup strong brewed black coffee
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• Sour cream (for garnish)
• Sliced green onions (for garnish)
• Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or colby cheese (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed 8-quart or larger stockpot over medium-high heat. Swirl in the olive oil and add the pork shoulder, stirring every few minutes until the pork is pinkish-brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the onions and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to turn translucent.
3. Add the medley of peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the pumpkin, corn, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 can of kidney beans, beer, coffee, and chicken broth. Stir in the cumin, oregano, and brown sugar, then turn the heat to high and bring to boiling.
5. When the chili reaches a rolling boil, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
6. Add the remaining can of kidney beans, stir to combine, and simmer for 1 more hour.
7. Serve with a handful of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a spoonful of green onions on top.