astray recipes: Roast boar and black bean chili

Categories: Chili; Game; Pork; Beans; Soup/stew
Yield: 6 servings

Measure	Ingredient
¼ cup	Bacon drippings
2	Garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons	Chili powder
⅛ teaspoon	Ground cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon	Black pepper
4 pounds	Saddle of wild boar (OR loin of pork with bone in)
1 pounds	Black turtle beans
2 tablespoons	Olive oil
½ cup	Diced salt pork
2	Onions, chopped
3	Cloves garlic, minced
1	Jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and minced
1 cup	Cooked, smoked ham, diced (1 cup = 5 oz)
2 cups	Beef broth
1	Bay leaf
1 teaspoon	Chopped fresh oregano (or half that if dried)
1 teaspoon	Red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons	Dark rum
4	Scallions, thinly sliced
2	Eggs, hard cooked, sieved

In a medium bowl, combine the bacon drippings with the crushed garlic, two tablespoons of the chili powder, the cumin, and freshly ground pepper. Spread over the wild boar and let stand while preparing the beans.

In a large pot, cover the beans with cold water. Heat to boiling and boil for two minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand one hour.

Drain. Wipe out the pot and return beans, cover with cold water and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cook the salt pork in boiling water for five minutes. Drain and pat dry. Heat the oil in a heavy, deep casserole. Stir in the salt pork and cook over medium heat until golden, about 3 min. Stir in the onion, minced garlic, and Jalapeno pepper. Cook 1 minute. Stir in the ham and cook two more minutes.

Stir the remaining chili powder into the onion mixture. Add the beans, broth, bay leaf, oregano, vinegar and rum. Mix well. Place the saddle of boar on top of the beans, cover and place in the middle of the oven. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours or until internal meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Turn the meat twice and stir the beans. Add more broth if dry.

Remove the meat and allow it to stand, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim the fat from the chili. Cut the meat from the bone and into thin slices. Layer it over the beans. If desired, stew, covered, to tenderize the meat. Serve with hot rice and a sprinkling of scallions and sieved eggs.

Serves 6 generously.

Submitted By MICHAEL ORCHEKOWSKI On 10-31-94

roast boar and black bean chili