Spicy Buffalo Chilli

In our main blog this week, we talked about buffalo or bison meat, specifically the mince that we sell in store. One of the best things about buffalo meat is its unique flavour that can make any dish, and its cook, stand out. To get the most out buffalo mince, in terms of nutrition and flavour, there's a few things to consider. 

Similar to other lean meats such as chicken breasts, buffalo mince is at risk of drying out due to its low fat content. This risk, as well as its mild flavour, is why buffalo mince is common in sauced and soupy dishes, such as chilli. While the browning from the maillard reaction provides important depth of flavour, cooking the mince for too long can cause it to become dry and crumbly, losing its delicate texture and taste. In this instance, we're hoping to develop some browning to deepen the savoury flavour without drying out the meat. This is done by using high heat and an extra 1/4 cup of stock to get the best of both worlds. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 500g ground buffalo meat 
• 1 large onion, chopped
•  3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeños, seeded and diced
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 1 can tomato puree
• 3 tablespoons chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, sometimes called a "Mexican chilli"
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/4 cups beef broth, or water
• 1 cans soft, brown or white beans, such as pinto, drained

1. Pre-heat a heavy bottomed pan to medium-high, until it is hot. Add a drizzle of oil and the mince, breaking it into small pieces until browned. If you're concerned about the high heat, you can remove the pan from the hot plate and allow the residual heat to continue to brown the mince. Remove the browned mince into a clean bowl and cover. 
2. In the same pan, cook onion until it is soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Once cooked, return the mince to the pan, along with the spices, pepper and capsicum. Do not put in the beans yet.
3. Reduce to low, cover and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. 
4. After an hour, pour in the drained beans and cook for another 15 minutes. If you find the mixture too thick, add a little bit of water. If it is too thin, cook for a further 10 minutes with the lid off, or add a thickener like a cornflour slurry. 

note: this is a spicy recipe. To reduce the spice you have a few options: omit the ground chilli powders one or either and replace with paprika. Omit the jalapenõs, ensure you remove the seeds and ribs of the pepper and/or soak it in white vinegar for about an hour before using.