Red and black chili for Grey Cup tailgaters

Before every Redblacks home game, a group of loyal fans head to Brewer Park, pop their tailgates, and grill up a storm. They'll be there again this Sunday before the Grey Cup.

Al Boucher can usually be found in the tailgate crowd armed with his kettle barbecue.

Boucher was a guest on CBC Radio's All in a Day ahead of the weekend's major festivities. He set up his grill on Sparks Street to make some tasty tailgating treats.

He also shared his recipe for a special fan-coloured chilli.

Red and black barbecued chili

Step one

Ingredients:

• 7 tbsp of dry chili peppers; a blend of mild to medium varieties such as California, New Mexico or ancho.
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder; a hot variety such as cayenne, arbol, serrano. Fresh and minced.
• 1 cup of red wine.
• 1 cup of beef broth.
• 6 garlic cloves, minced.
• 1 medium onion, minced.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Step two

Ingredients:

• 12 breakfast sausages, casings removed and meat broken up.
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• 4 lbs. of stewing beef such as a blade roast. Cut into 1/4-inch cubes.

Instructions

1. Cook sausage in a heavy pot until it's no longer pink. Remove and set aside.
2. Add olive oil to any fat left over from the sausage. Scrape brown bits as oil heats up.
3. Add beef, salt to taste, and cook until gray. Not brown. Remove and set aside.
4. Add mixture from step one to pot, and de-glaze bottom by scraping remaining browned bits from sausage and beef. Allow to come to a slow simmer.
5. Add sausage and beef, and simmer covered at very low and slow heat for at least one-and-a-half hours.

Step three

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of beef broth.
• 2 tablespoons of chili; blend of mild to medium varieties such as California, New Mexico or ancho. Dried and powdered.
• 1 tablespoon of cayenne chili powder.
• 3 tablespoons of ground cumin.
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• 1 cup of canned tomato/puree or crushed.
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup.
• 1/2 cup of rye whiskey.
• 1 cup of red wine.

Instructions

1. While steps one and two are simmering, blend all ingredients in step three in your blender or food processor.
2. Once meat in step two has simmered, skim off fat as desired and add blended ingredients from step three to the pot.

Step four

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans (more or less depending on taste), rinsed.

Instructions

1. Place pot of chili in a barbecue at the lowest temperature you can maintain (225 to 250F).
2. Cook indirectly with pot uncovered, away from coals, for at least an hour.
3. Periodically add dry wood chips or chunks such as maple, apple, hickory or mesquite to the grill, to add rich smoky flavours.
4. Cooking time will vary depending on outdoor temperatures and personal taste. The intent is to develop flavours and attain desired sauce consistency.
5. Add beans 20 to 30 minutes before end of cooking.

Tips:

1. Make sure to cook low & slow for a rich, sweet, spicy chili. High heat will bring out bitter flavours.
2. Avoid using pre-ground chili powder commonly found in stores; these generally contain other seasonings and do not have the rich earthy flavours provided by a blend of varieties of freshly ground chili peppers. Have fun experimenting with different chili pepper varieties.
3. The added flavour from freshly ground cumin seeds, garlic and onion powder is worth the effort!