Kick Butt Chili Recipe: Heat a cast-iron frying pan or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and half of the meat, and brown for about 8 minutes. Pour the meat into a strainer positioned over a bowl, and let the fat drain. Set the strained meat aside. Wipe down the frying pan using a paper towel, cleaning off the residual oil and bits of beef from the bottom. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in the frying pan and cook and drain the remaining beef using the same process. Discard the drained fat. Put the beef in the crock pot. Add 12-ounces of pinto beans and 12-ounces of black beans that have been soaked over night. Canned beans will turn into a mushy paste in a Crock Pot, so be sure to use dry beans. Add the beef stock, beer, and tomatoes on top of that. Add all of the spices, onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Simmer on low for 2-3 hours or until meat is tender. Add masa and fresh corn at the very end and allow to thicken for 5 minutes. Serving options:
Spicy Whiskey BBQ Slider Recipe: Form the meat into miniature patties, 2 lbs should yield 12 patties. Salt and pepper them on both sides. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the patties until just about done in the middle, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the patties from the skillet and set aside. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of grease, then return the skillet to the stove. Throw the diced onions in the skillet and stir to cook, about 3 minutes. Pour in whiskey (be careful if you're cooking over an open flame; turn it off momentarily to be extra careful) and stir. Allow the whiskey to reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in jalapeños and the barbecue sauce. Reduce the heat to low and place the patties in the barbecue sauce, turning to coat. Allow the patties to simmer in the sauce until everything's hot and bubbly. Place the patties on individual buns and be sure to spoon extra sauce (with the jalapeños!) over the top of each one before topping with the other half of the bun.
