Low and Slow Beef Brisket Makes Amazing Chili

I have been holding out on you with this recipe. A couple of weeks ago I became a registered barbecue judge. Yep, I can judge anywhere in the Pacific Northwest in both Canada and the USA. Yeah! I will try to get and see some good 'cue.

The same weekend I jumped right in and judged at the North Battleford 'Those Were The Days'. What I find interesting about judging is that any meat I don't eat, I can take home. We each bring our own personal cooler. My low and slow barbecue brisket became this amazing chili.

I don't know if this authentic Texas chili but it is loosely taken from a recipe by that name. I had a squash on hand. Bonus! I love the flavour of it in chili and would never have thought to use it. Usually I find beans of some sort in chili.

Low and Slow Beef Brisket Texas Chili

1 lb. fully cooked barbecue brisket, cubed
1 c. chopped onions
6 slices bacon, diced
1/2 butternut or kabocha squash, seeded, peeled and cubed
1 can whole tomatoes
1 fire roasted poblano chili, finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro stems
1 dried ancho chili
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
2 large garlic cloves, peeled

Soak dried ancho chili in 1/2 cup boiling water for 30 minutes or more.

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until tender but not browned. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add beef.

In a blender, puree the ancho chili, garlic cloves, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Pour over beef. Add can of tomatoes and remainder of ingredients to the beef mixture.

Bake in a 350F oven for 1 hour. Serve. Garnish with sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Serves 6 generously.