Bison & Wheat Berry Chili
This chili swaps half the usual beans for toasted wheat berries, which hold their bite through a long simmer and give the pot a nutty backbone that plain beans don't provide. Ground bison keeps the dish lean without losing richness, since bison carries a slightly sweeter, more mineral flavor than beef while cooking up just as tender when it isn't rushed. A full two hours on low heat lets the spices settle into the meat and the tomato base the way a good chili should, instead of tasting like the individual ingredients were just stirred together at the last minute. It's a good pot to start on a Sunday afternoon, since it reheats well through the week and, like most chilis, tastes better on the second day once everything has had time to sit together in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground bison
- 1 cup dry wheat berries, soaked overnight
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef or bison stock
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Shredded cheddar and sliced green onion, for serving
Instructions
- Drain the soaked wheat berries and simmer them in fresh water for 45 minutes, or until tender but still chewy. Drain and set aside.
- In a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground bison, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, and toast the spices for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return the bison to the pot along with the crushed tomatoes, stock, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the cooked wheat berries and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar and sliced green onion.
You Might Also Like
Wild Huckleberry Buckle
A dense, buttery cake studded with foothill huckleberries and finished with a cinnamon streusel top.
Read Recipe →
Dutch Oven Sourdough
A straightforward sourdough loaf baked in a covered Dutch oven, built around a starter fed on local flour.
Read Recipe →