Wingin’ It: Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills, Buffalo-Style “Green” Chili

Being a fan can be the kind of hard work that builds an appetite. That’s why Buffalo Rumblings brings you a recipe every week to pair with the Buffalo Bills’ upcoming opponent, featuring a custom wing sauce to make it more “Buffalo.” Our opponent this week: the Denver Broncos.

Colorado is a state where I have a poor handle on geography-wise. So when Rumbler nevrborn suggested green chili for the Broncos game I mentally did a “really?” I mean, that’s the kind of bold flavor they enjoy in Albuquerque. Then I remembered that Colorado does in fact border New Mexico and my cognitive dissonance vanished. According to nevrborn and verified by the internet it can be eaten alone or slathered over pretty much anything. Some place called “Chubby’s” came up repeatedly in my recipe research. So I started with a copycat Chubby’s recipe and, as I like to do, I arrogantly made changes that I think will be an improvement made it more “Buffalo.”

Buffalo-Style “Green” Chili

Serves: 8-10
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours

Ingredients

“Green” Chili
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
3 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed
2 large green peppers, finely chopped (I used poblano)
1 quart chicken broth, divided
1 cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut in ¹⁄₂ inch cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped*
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp oregano
¹⁄₄ tsp sage
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup hot sauce

You’ll need: Blender, slow cooker/crock pot

Directions

1. Puree diced tomatoes and jalapeño pepper. If liquid is needed use a small amount (1 cup) of the chicken broth or water.
2. Add tomato/pepper puree, chopped peppers, about ¹⁄₂ of the the chicken broth and water to slow cooker on HIGH.
3. Place oil and cumin seeds in a large saucepan on MED/HIGH for 2 min, stirring frequently.
4. Brown pork cubes in pan**, about 5 min, stirring occasionally.
5. Add ingredients from onion through sage to pan and continue cooking for 1-2 min, stirring frequently.
6. Place everything from saucepan into the slow cooker; add tomato paste.
7. Make roux: Melt butter in large saucepan on LOW.
8. Add flour and stir/fold until the roux is even consistency.
9. Add the remainder of the chicken broth into the roux a little at a time, combining thoroughly each time.
10. Stir in hot sauce slowly, and continue to heat for 5 min.
11. Add sauce to slow cooker, mixing thoroughly.
12. Continue to cook on HIGH for 4 hours in slow cooker, then turn to LOW for up to another 4 hours.
13. Serve as you’d like. I went with burgers and fries, but later used it for chip dip, chili dogs, and even just had some “as is.”

Wingin’ It Tips

*If you’re careful with your fingers, you can quickly process fresh garlic with the fine shredding section of a cheese shredder

**You may want smaller pieces of pork depending on how you’ll use the chili at the end. You can start with smaller cubes, or at the end of the slow-cooking time shred with a spoon.