Table of Contents
Aurora Borealis Chili
Aurora Borealis Chili is a dish that captures the vibrant and fiery spirit of the Northern Lights. The spice blend used in this recipe is a fusion of Nordic and New Orleans flavors, including cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and juniper berries. When combined with the richness of ground beef and sliced Andouille sausage, this chili creates a bold and flavorful taste that will ignite your senses.
With each spoonful, the spices will dance on your tongue like the aurora borealis spreads across the sky, leaving you with a satisfying warmth and glow. Perfect for a chilly evening, this chili is a great option for family gatherings, potlucks, or game day parties, and is sure to become a favorite among your friends and family.
Ingredients
Meats
- 2 lbs 90% lean ground beef
- 2 lbs Andouille sausage, sliced on a bias into roughly 1/2” slices
Vegetables
- 10 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, peeled, diced, and crushed
Tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz) Bianco DiNapoli crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz) Bianco DiNapoli whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Seasonings and Spices
Dry Spices
- 1 tsp Ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp Chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp cardamom
- 2 tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp pink peppercorns, ground
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 juniper berries, ground
Wet Spices
- 1 tsp Crushed Calabrian chili pepper paste
- 2 tsp beef base
- 2 tsp Rose Harissa
- 2 tsp Sambal Oelek
Tools
- Large (12“ diameter) frying pan
- 4-6 quart stock pot or Dutch oven
- Potato masher or immersion blender
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (optional)
- Food processor (optional)
- Immersion blender (optional)
- Pressure cooker (optional)
- Kitchen scale (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the dry spices and whole spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to make the dry spice mixture. \
- Peel and dice the onion. Crush the garlic and jalapeno together with a garlic press or mortar and pestle. Set aside. \
- Slice the sausage on a bias into roughly 1/2” slices. \
- In a large stock pot, combine the crushed tomatoes and whole peeled tomatoes. Use a potato masher to crush the whole peeled tomatoes into loose chunks. \
- In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, Sambal Oelek, beef base, Rose Harissa, and crushed Calabrian chili pepper paste to create the wet spice mixture. \
- In the frying pan, brown the ground beef and sliced sausage together over medium-high heat. \
- Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock, then add deglazed meat to the large stock pot. \
- Add the diced onion, crushed garlic and jalapeno, wet spice mixture, and dry spice mixture to the same large stock pot. Cook until the onions are translucent. \
- Add the contents of the frying pan to the stock pot with the tomatoes. \
- Cook over low heat for 1 hour until the beef is tender. \
- Salt to taste and serve.
Shopping List
- 2 lbs 90% lean ground beef
- 2 lbs Andouille sausage, sliced on a bias into roughly 1/2” slices
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 white onion
- 1 can (14 oz) Bianco DiNapoli crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz) Bianco DiNapoli whole peeled tomatoes
- tomato paste
- brown sugar
- cardamom
- celery salt
- coriander
- cumin
- nutmeg
- pink peppercorns, ground
- smoked paprika
- Ancho chili powder
- Chipotle chili powder
- cayenne pepper
- beef base
- crushed Calabrian chili pepper paste
- Rose Harissa
- Sambal Oelek