Monday Funday White Bean and Pork Chili Recipe
There’s something about the cold weather that makes me want to cook, and cook something that’s warm and comforting. I typically go to Italian food but this weekend I was craving some kind of chili like this recipe that uses white bean and pork.
Chili is a big deal for a lot of people. I’ve judge many a chili making contests where all kinds of ingredients from rattlesnake to boar have been used. I’m not that creative and even though I wanted chili, I wanted a lighter style.
I dug around until I found this White Bean and Pork Chili recipe that I saved from the October 2016 issue of Southern Living Magazine. It hit the spot.
The recipe calls for 2 pounds of pork but I usually mix it up, make it even lighter, and substitute a pound of turkey if I make the full recipe. It’s an easy recipe to cut in half as well.
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground pork
1 medium white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 poblano chile, seeded and chopped
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) chopped green chiles undrained
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) white beans (cannellini, great northern, etc) drained and rinsed
3 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
Heat 2 tbls oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. (I used a stock pot)
Add pork. Cook until crumbled and no longer pink. Drain pork, set aside and wipe pot.
Heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat and add onions, poblano, garlic, green chiles, cumin and salt. Stir until vegetables are soft and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes
Increase heat to high and stir in beans, broth and meat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer on medium-low for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. (I added a little more broth to mine at one point, may’ve left it on too long)
Before serving, stir in cheese until melted and add lime juice.
I put an extra wedge of lime on the plate if someone wants more of that fresh flavor. I also like to dress it up with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro as garnish. Dang, I’m ready for left overs.
The Stump Jump is an affordable white blend from Australia
And as for wine, I had a red blend along with this nice little white from Australia. Stump Jump is a blend of riesling, marsanne, sauvignon blanc and roussanne. The riesling adds just a hint of sweetness for the spice of the chili. The marsanne and roussnne add some body to stand up to the weight of the chili and the sauv blanc adds acid to lift things up.
I’ve got another unique wine idea here. I think it would work with the chili also.
Have a tasty Monday Funday.
