Three Alarm Turkey Chili
Patience and Choice
This recipe is a good opportunity to talk about two things: patience and choice. There is no wrong way to make chili. I’m sure you could produce a chili recipe that neither yourself nor others would enjoy with no excessive effort. But there’s also a good chance you’ll produce a reasonably tasty result. One thing can help significantly in that regard, and that is patience.
Patience
I’ve gathered a small stockpile of patience as the years have raged on. I suppose that’s typical of anyone as they mature, perhaps more reluctantly so in the on-demand society of today. But I’m not here to preach about that, only to say there’s often a reward for patience. I learned best about the relationship of cooking to patience “in the field” working with barbecue. There is no better proving ground for patience than a BBQ smoker, plus the day or so you’ll need to wait before reaping the savory reward from its’ fiery belly.
Long story short, chili is one of those meals that benefits from some slow simmering. The flavors will blossom, fuse, and some will even mellow. You can throw ingredients together in a pot, heat them all up, and call it chili. It might even be good. Odds are though, that keeping your chili on to simmer for an hour or several would have yielded superior results. Keep this in mind, even though you may be hungry and the smell may be tempting, and try to allocate several hours for your cooking process. It will pay off.
Choice
So, what about choice? Well, to use the cliche, the possibilities are endless. No ingredient or proportion in my recipe today should be considered law. In fact, I think it better to say this should merely act as a guide, and that you should experiment openly. Make it “your own”.
The first and most important option I want to discuss is the heat of this dish. It’s not called “two alarm” for no reason. An Indian chef I know once said that “heat is measured on the tongue, in the throat, and in the belly”. To truly bring heat to the table (great for a cold day), what I’m shooting for is to nail all three areas. I make a spaghetti sauce I call “four alarm”–it’s stand-a-spoon up thick, and it is outrageously spicy hot (burning, sweating profusely, drinking milk, etc.). I only serve it every couple years, as it takes a full day to cook, and only a very select set of guests would enjoy it. Intense heat but awesome flavor are what make a “four alarm” in my book.
When I took my first spoon of this chili, about 15 minutes into cooking, I was afraid I’d made a “three alarm”. Three alarm would be hotter than a majority of guests would eat. Thankfully, after 3 1/2 hours this had cooked down to a “two alarm”. I think the average kid under 8 will eat “no alarm” food. Many who like only “mild” salsas would eat a 0 to high 1. Part of the reason I originally misjudged the heat, was I hadn’t yet added “the sweet”. Tomato paste and brown sugar come in the latter half of cooking, so you’re not burning them over higher heat. Sweet and heat have a symbiotic relationship in cooking. Judge your audience carefully.
As an aside, out of 8 guests last night, only one (who is an openly “mild” eater) refused the chili as too hot (without trying it). The rest lapped up a bowl, two, or three of it with rave reviews. Note that those who ate the most also got a feverish look as they added more fuel to the fire, so to speak. The absolute greatest compliment to a 15º F day. I have leftovers, by the way–this is a lot to eat.
At Last, the Chili
2 lb ground turkey meat
1 14oz can white northern beans
1 14oz can dark kidney beans
1 14oz can red beans
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
3 tsp olive oil
2 12oz cans/bottles beer
2 cups water
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp paprika
4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp chili de arbol
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2 tbsp habanero pepper, topped and minced (about 6)
6-7 red fresno chilis, topped, seeded and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 elephant clove)
1 cup carrots, minced
3/4 cup celery, chopped
2 6oz cans tomato paste
1/2 cup brown sugar
Be very, very cautious when working with chili peppers. If you never have, please read a little about what you’re working with.
- How to Work with Hot Peppers
- Scoville Heat Scale
I work with peppers often and I still burned my eyes 3 hours after handling those habaneros. Be careful!
In a large pot over medium high heat add oil, then add ground turkey when the oil is hot. Stir constantly. As the turkey begins to brown on all sides (keep working the meat with a spatula till it forms 1″ or smaller pieces), add onion, garlic, carrots, chilis, habaneros, and celery. Keep stirring. Add spices and stir.
Right after adding spices, add water and beer to arrest the high heat cooking. You’ll be dangerously close to burning it if you don’t. Add worchestershire sauce, tomatoes, and cans of beans. No need to strain off the liquid, it will just add flavor to the chili–dump it all in! Simmer then add brown sugar and tomato paste, stirring thoroughly until paste and sugar are incorporated. They are vulnerable to burning as they are sweet and chunky until stirred. Simmer at least 30 minutes more and serve. (at least 2 hours simmering recommended)
Serve ladelled into bowls. Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onion on the side. I don’t think you’ll need any side jalapenos this round.
Note: I was missing molasses and bay leaves and it was too cold (considering I had everything else) to go get them. I think both are great in chili.
Edit/Addendum: If you wonder why it’s called 3 alarm chili, when I clearly state it ended up “2 alarm” in the body of my spiel…here it is. I wanted to make a very hot chili. It’s been subzero temps for almost a week. I sent a group text out, I found some friends were up for a gathering, and voila…I had a new target audience. Hence, why I said I was “afraid” it was going to turn out “3 alarm”. I honestly thought I was up a creek in terms of toning it down. In reality, I just forgot the importance of my own dogma here…patience. In time, things were a great deal less hot than I imagined, though they did fulfill the three target “hots” of my Indian guru nevertheless and all in all. Thank you, patience. I give you this note not as a correction, rather, as a point of “full disclosure”. Cheers! 
