Slow Cooker Smoky Pork Chili

Ingredients

• 4 ounces smoked Spanish chorizo or smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 medium or 6 plum tomatoes, cored, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 to 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, or fresh jalapenos, stems and about half the seeds removed and chopped
• 1 small green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 small red sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Pinch crushed red pepper or a few dashes bottled hot sauce
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 2-pound boneless beef rump or chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 3/4 cup dark lager beer
• 1 14-ounce can beef broth or 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
• Kosher salt or salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Hot cooked rice
• Thinly sliced toasted tortilla strips**; chopped tomatoes; and dairy sour cream

Directions

1. In a large saucepan cook the chorizo, onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Stir in the tomatoes, chipotle peppers, green sweet peppers, red sweet peppers, chili powder and crushed red pepper, if you like. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened.

2. Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet, toast cumin seeds over medium heat until toasted and aromatic. Using a spice grinder, coarsely grind cumin seeds. In a small bowl combine the ground cumin seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Rub the beef roast all over with mixture. Set aside.

3. In a 4-1/2- to 5-quart Dutch oven or pot brown the coated roast in hot oil, turning to brown sides evenly. Remove from the pot. Remove pot from heat. Add the beer. Return pot to heat, cooking and stirring to remove any bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, uncovered, about 3 minutes or until the beer is reduced by half. Add the browned roast back to the pot. Add the beef broth or water.

4. Stir the thickened tomato mixture into the pot with the beef roast. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Stir in the black beans and green beans, if you like. Simmer, covered for 1 hour more.

5. Carefully remove the beef roast from the pot. Using 2 forks, pull meat apart into shreds. Stir shredded meat back into the pot. Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper.

6. Serve over rice with toasted tortilla strips, chopped tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

*Note: Jalapeno peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes. Avoid direct contact with chilies as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves.

**Note: Slice flour tortillas into 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick strips; place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F. oven about 8 minutes or until lightly browned