Rye’s Red Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless pork shoulder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¹⁄₃ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 (12-oz.) bottles pale ale-style beer
• 6 oz. sliced bacon, finely chopped
• 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
• ¹⁄₄ cup tomato paste
• 3 tbsp. dark red chile powder
• ¹⁄₂ tbsp. Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
• 2 (15.5-oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, drained
• 2 tbsp. hot sauce
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Sliced scallions, for garnish
• Cornbread, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 500°. Place pork in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Rub with brown sugar, garlic powder, and cumin. Bake until browned, 30–35 minutes. Reduce heat to 300°. Add 1 bottle of beer and cover tightly with aluminum foil; bake until pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Let meat rest for 20 minutes, then shred.
2. Heat bacon in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until fat is rendered, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, onion, and bell pepper; cook until soft, 10–12 minutes. Add tomato paste, chile powder, Aleppo pepper, chile flakes, and bay leaves; cook until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add remaining bottle of beer, plus stock, tomatoes, and beans; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered slightly, until beans are very tender and chili is slightly thick, 1 ¹⁄₂–2 hours. Stir in shredded pork, plus hot sauce and Worcestershire. Garnish with scallions and crumble cornbread over top, if you like.