by David Slade, Willow Seasonings & Blends

Willow’s Smoked Bison Chili 

Looking for something to keep you warm on a cold day or a great treat to watch some end of year college bowls?  This is just the ticket.  This Smoked Bison Chili has amazing flavors with the added seasonings of Willow Seasoning’s High Elevation and Feisty Lime which gives a kick at the finish.

Ingredients  

Ground Bison (2 lbs.) 

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. dry beans (use a variety- for this recipe we used Black, Kidney, Pinto, and red beans) 

6-8 Roma Tomatoes 

1 large white onion (diced) 

4-6 whole garlic cloves (skin removed) 

3-4 Jalapeño peppers (or more if you want spicier) 

2-3 cups Beef Broth or Stock (unsalted) 

2 or 3 Bell Peppers (use a variety of colors) 

2 or 3  Limes 

Feisty Lime Seasoning  

High Elevation Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Rub 

Tomato Paste 

Tomato Sauce 

White Vinegar 

Cayenne Pepper  

Preparing the beans  

Soak beans overnight following the instructions on the package.  

Rinse beans and add to a pot and cover with water.  

Cook until beans are tender (approximately 90 minutes to two hours) 

Drain and rinse.  

Preparing the Bison 

Heat smoker to 250 degrees F using wood or pellet flavor of your choice (I went with Lumberjack Supreme Blend (Oak-Hickory-Cherry). 

Crumble ground bison into a cast iron pan and season with the High Elevation SPG. 

Smoke for approximately 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove from smoker and drain off any fat and set aside.  

 Preparing the vegetables  

Rinse all vegetables  

Dice the onion and put into a disposable aluminum pan. 

Add whole garlic cloves to aluminum pan. 

Cut tomatoes in half and place skin side down in aluminum pan. 

Dice jalapeño peppers (remove membranes and seeds if you want to reduce heat level) and add to the aluminum pan. 

Chop bell peppers and add to the aluminum pan 

Cut limes in half and add to the aluminum pan 

Add any leftover whole jalapeño peppers to the aluminum pan 

Coat with olive oil and liberally season with Feisty Lime. 

Put on smoker at 250 degrees F for 2 hours.  

Remove tomatoes and chop (try to retain as much juice as possible). 

Dice garlic. 

Making Chili Sauce 

In a bowl mix the following ingredients until well blended (make this a few days in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to use).  

1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce (unsalted if you have it) 

2 tablespoons of tomato paste 

2 tablespoons white vinegar 

2 tablespoons of Feisty Lime Seasoning 

Cayenne Pepper (use the amount you want to achieve your desired heat level)  

Making the Chili 

Add beans to a large cast iron pot 

Add vegetables to the pot 

Add ground bison to the pot 

Add enough beef stock to cover. 

Add a liberal amount of Feisty Lime seasoning, taste throughout the cooking process and add more as needed. 

Add Chili Sauce 

Stir to mix all of the ingredients.  

Place pot on smoker and smoke at 225 degrees F for a few hours. Stirring occasionally and add more beef stock or tomato paste to reach your desired consistency. 

 Remove and enjoy! Garnish with cheese, sour cream, etc.