Emeril’s Really Good Chili

 This is Will’s favourite chili. When he was very young - like maybe 4 - we borrowed Emeril’s kids cookbook from the public library. Ever since, this has been our go-to chili recipe. Making  it today in honour of the Grey Cup.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons Baby Bam
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups water

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
• Add meat and cook, stirring to break into pieces, until the meat is brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. 
• Add the onion, garlic, chili powder, Baby Bam, salt, cumin, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. 
• Put the whole tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and squeeze them with your hands to break them into pieces. Add squeezed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and water to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
• Lower heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Shredded Beef Tacos - Crockpot Version

Threw this into my mom's old crockpot early on a conference day. Returned home late in the day to a delightful dinner. Adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

Shredded Beef Tacos/Crockpot Version

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 pound beef roast - blade or shoulder

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 cup beef stock

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (or a big scoop of chopped chipotle in adobo)

1 onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Rub into beef, covering each side evenly.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned. Remove beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of your crockpot.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and diced onion to the pan. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Deglaze pan with beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add tomato paste and minced chipotle, and whisk until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a 3-5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Pour the pan sauce down over the beef in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef shreds easily.

Serve with corn tortillas and toppings of your choice including: feta or cotilla cheese, lettuce, onions, cilantro, avocado, etc.