PRIMAL CHILI
Here’s the most refined recipe I’ve ever written (And possibly the cheapest to make)
~4-5 lbs of meat and bones
Select cheaper, tougher cuts in the discount section that are suited for long cooking times like stew meat, oxtail, shanks, Manager’s special chuck roasts, bones, etc. Don’t limit to beef, either; goat is an excellent choice. For example, I used 2 lb goat stew meat, with bones (Look for it in the Indian grocery store freezer) and 3 lb beef tail/shank combo package.
The rest of the ingredients are very affordable
1 small can tomato paste
1 large onion, diced
From a can of chilies in adobo sauce: 2 chipotles (chopped) and 1 tbsp adobo sauce
2 to 3 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup chili powder
Quick note – canned chipotles in adobo sauce does contain vinegar (not technically Paleo-approved, but I’m not convinced it’s all that bad for you).
Making your own chili powder is by far superior to store-bought.
(Based on Alton Brown’s Food Network recipe)
Chili Powder –
~4 oz of dried chiles, heat level is set by type of chile, for example:
3-4 seeded ancho chiles (mild)
5-6 seededcaliforniachiles (medium)
5-6 seeded japones chiles (hot)
2 tbsp cumin seed
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
Process all of the above in a blender to achieve powder consistency.
A quick note about spices and herbs. Avoid the spice rack section at the grocery store unless it’s a emergency (like you’re hosting 20 family members for Christmas dinner and you’re out of the cloves that you use once a year for the mulled cider that keeps everyone buzzed and happy). Buy spices in bulk from the international grocer with the foreign language labels or even the health food store where you bag your own and write the plc # on a tag. Also, buy whole seeds whenever possible and grind as needed using a $13 blade coffee grinder (keep it away from coffee!). While fresh herbs are always preferred, dried herbs get you through winter and keep much longer. Buy dried herbs in bulk as well – the vials of McCormick’s are so incredibly overpriced it makes me nauseous. I plan to go big on an herb garden next spring (I didn’t have time this year since we moved) to save on fresh herb costs. A heavy consumer like myself saves hundreds of dollars a year this way.
Now let’s make chili!
If your meat is thawed, an optional step is to pat dry, sprinkle with salt, and sear it off in a hot pan with some rendered fat or coconut oil to get the nice browning, then…
Put all meat in a pressure cooker (OK if frozen) and add about 6 cups of water to cover.
Be smart and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on using the pressure cooker. Cook under pressure (mine is 15 psig) for about 80 minutes if frozen, 60 if thawed.
When safety lock is released, remove all the hunks of meat to let cool. Strain the leftover liquid (stock), and decant the grease using a fat separator. We’ll need this stock in a moment…
Using tongs, fork, and/or fingers, separate and shred the meat. Discard the bones and gristle at this point. Really fingers work the fastest here. And don’t be too anal about it – work fast, and get all the bone fragments out. Part of the Primal chili experience is to eat the softened cartlidge, connective tissues, and visceral fat that made it into the final product.
Combine in the pressure cooker vessel (out of efficiency, you can move to any pot you want now).
Meat, tomato paste, chipotles, adobo, onion, and chili powder
Add about 4 cups of the reserved stock – add more or less to reach a desired consistency, keeping in mind it will thicken as it simmers.
Add 2 tsp salt and 2 tsp pepper,
Stir and simmer for 20-30 min, until onion is translucent
Taste and add extra salt if desired
Photo courtesy of Adam C.
So as you can see, once you have the shredded beef and supply of chili powder, the rest comes together pretty quickly.
Keep leftover stock in fridge and use for recipe requiring beef stock.
After this you’ll never make chili with boring, textureless ground beef and you’ll find that beans are unnecessary and cumbersome. You’ll also find that cornbread is really cheap filler to make up for weak, watery chili and topping with sour cream and shredded cheese is just plain offensive.
Peters On Paleo 
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