Smoked Brisket Pumpkin Chili

Notes: Start conservative on chili powder and heat; it is easier to add than take away. Taste the bouillon level near the end and add a little more if flat. Makes about 5 quarts. Smoke a whole SRF wagyu packer and use 2 lb of it here; save the rest. The homemade chili powder makes a full jar for multiple batches. Prep: 7 hours (day before, mostly smoking)

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Step 1

DAY BEFORE - Brisket: Trim the brisket and save the fat and scraps. Smoke 5 hours at 250-275F. It will not be fully tender yet; it finishes in the chili. Cool, cut into 1-inch cubes, and refrigerate.

Step 2

DAY BEFORE - Vegetables: Smoke the sweet onions and red bell peppers for the last hour of the brisket cook. Dice and refrigerate.

Step 3

DAY BEFORE - Chile paste: Toast the stemmed, seeded paste chiles in a dry pan 1-2 minutes until fragrant (do not let them smoke). Simmer in 2 1/2 cups stock with the cinnamon stick for 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick, blend until smooth, and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Set aside 1/2 cup for Spice Dump 2 and refrigerate both.

Step 4

COOK DAY - Brown the chorizo, pork sausage, and ground chuck in an 8 qt Dutch oven. Remove and leave about 1 Tbsp fat in the pot.

Step 5

Render the brisket fat and scraps until the bottom of the pot is coated in dark brown bits.

Step 6

Cook the yellow onion 8 minutes until soft. Add the smoked onion and pepper, garlic, and chipotle; cook 3 minutes. Push to the side and bloom Spice Dump 1 in the fat for 1 minute.

Step 7

Whisk the Better Than Bouillon into the bottle of cider, pour in to deglaze, and scrape up the browned bits.

Step 8

Add the chile paste, 1 cup stock, the 1/2 cup cider, coffee, adobo sauce, pumpkin, bay leaf, and the browned meats. Bring to a boil, then a bare simmer with the lid ajar for 1 hour, stirring from the bottom often.

Step 9

Add the brisket cubes and simmer gently 2 1/2-3 hours until tender. Add stock 1/4 cup at a time if it gets too thick. Skim grease as needed.

Step 10

About 1 hour before serving, stir in Spice Dump 2 (the reserved 1/2 cup paste plus the spices). Taste after 20 minutes; if it needs more chile flavor, add pure ancho powder 1 tsp at a time, up to 1 Tbsp total.

Step 11

45 minutes before serving, add the beans (and masa slurry if you want it thicker).

Step 12

15 minutes before serving, add Spice Dump 3 and the cider vinegar (start with 2 tsp, up to 4 tsp to taste). Taste and salt a pinch at a time (start with 1/4 tsp, up to 1 tsp total to taste). Want more heat? Stir in 1 more minced chipotle or 1/4 tsp ground arbol and simmer 10 minutes before tasting again. Remove the bay leaf.

Step 13

Best the next day. Cool quickly in shallow pans before refrigerating. Freezes well.