Venison Chili - Named Best Chili 2017

Every year our neighborhood has a chili cook-off. This was my entry in 2017. Was selected as the top chili!

6 dried ancho chiles

2 dried pasilla chiles

2 or 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

4 slices bacon

4 pounds smoked venison sausage chopped into ¼ inch cubes

1 yellow onion diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch of crushed cloves

1 cup strong brewed coffee

1 (12 ounce) can of dark Texan beer (porter or stout)

3 cups water plus water for rehydrating chiles

Salt and Pepper

1 Tablespoon corn meal

1. Remove stems and seeds from the dried anhco and pasilla chiles. In a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook chiles for 5 to 10 seconds on each side or until they begin to puff up a bit. Add enough water to cover the chiles, bring to simmer and then turn off the heat. Let the chiles soak for at least 30 minutes to get them soft and plumped. Drain and rinse the chiles.
2. Place rehydrated chiles, the chipotle chiles and one cup of water in a blender. Blend until a smooth puree forms. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a large pot, cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Should take about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towel to drain. Leave bacon grease in pot.
4. Add chopped venison sausage to pot and cook, occasionally stirring, unit meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove meat from pot.
5. Add onion to pot and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Return meat to pot, crumble in bacon, add the cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, coffee, beer and 2 cups water. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
6. Pour chile puree into pot. Bring to boil again and then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
7. If chili dries out, add water. If chili is not thick enough, scoop out ¼ cup of the liquid, combine with corn meal, stir it up and add the mixture back to the pot.
8. Allow to cool and then place in storage jars. Place storage jars in refrigerator for 5 days or so to allow flavors to blend.
9. Reheat chili after the 5 days.