Take that Polar Vortex!
These cold winter days call for slow cooked, rib sticking meals and equally substantive wines.
This Valpolicella Ripasso was an excellent pairing with a new bison chili recipe. With jammy red fruit, this wine is ripe with raspberry notes on the nose and cherry on the finish. The fruit notes are balanced by coffee, chocolate, and leather notes that complemented the chili beautifully. As the wine opens up, it transforms, rewarding drinkers with a lengthy finish.
With a quarter of the fat of ground beef, bison is a great alternative for lightening up chili, burgers, spaghetti and more!
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces ground bison
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 small onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, mashed
- 1 tbsp pure ancho chile powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 cups diced canned tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup chicken stock*
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- *add extra chicken stock to achieve desired thickness
- In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bison and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, to brown the meat, 3-5 minutes.
- In the slow cooker layer onions and garlic.
- Remove the bison from the saucepan and drain extra fat.
- Layer bison on top of vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Add tomatoes, beans, chicken stock and all herbs and spices, except fresh oregano.
- Cover and let cook for 2-3 hours.
- After cooking time is done, set slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.
- Stir in fresh oregano just before serving.
We served the chili over rice, with a side of cornbread and garnished with the usual suspects- sour cream, cheese, along with quick pickled red onions.
To pickle the onions, slice thinly, then place in a mason jar, adding 1.5 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence, filling the jar with white vinegar. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours & enjoy! (The left overs are absolutely delicious on sandwiches!)
What are some of your favorite winter recipes and wines?
Jennifer -
This looks delicious – can’t wait to try it!! Wine has helped me get thru this tough winter Northern Va has been hit with this year! So glad I found your blog!
xo Jen
http://www.peaceofcupcakeblog.com
AlisonMarriott -
So glad you enjoyed the post! It’s been a tough winter, indeed. Thank goodness for wine and an end in sight (hopefully SOON!) Thanks for reading!
Cheers, Alison