Mama D's Chili with Honey Ham
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 15 oz can stewed tomatoes, organic
- 2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce, organic
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tbsp worchester sauce
- 3 15 oz. cans pinto beans, drained
- 2 15 oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained
- 3 lbs pre-cooked ham cut off bone and cubed, reserve ham bone
Directions
In a stock pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to pot with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, bay leaf and worchister sauce. Cook to bubbling while stirring occassionally. Add drained pinto beans and black-eye peas to the pot. Cut all the ham meat from the bone. Cut about three pounds into cubes, add the ham cubes and the ham bone into the pot.
Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring about every ten minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot so the beans don't stick. Remove lid and simmer for an additional hour, stirring occasionally. Removing the lid allows some of the liquid to evaporate to desired consistency. Remove from heat and discard ham bone and bay leaf. Serve.
This Dutton Family recipe is always made for New Years. We recommend a pre-cooked, honey glazed, pre-sliced ham from Honey Sliced Ham in Santa Rosa, CA. The chili beans are best made a day ahead of time. The ingredients are allowed to marinate together for optimal flavor. To make a head: once chili is removed from heat, let cool in the pot for 1-2 hours. Store chili in refrigerator with lid on, and warm on stove top before serving. Chili may be stored in air-tight containers in the refrigerator up to three days, or frozen for up to 6 months.