Show #208N 

Ingredients:

5 pounds buffalo (bison) shoulder or chuck, preferably from michigan
sea salt, to taste
wood chips, michigan maple or similar, soaked and drained (optional)
1/2 -1 cup rendered buffalo suet , or beef suet or pork lard
"northern heat" chili spice blend
2 tablespoons ancho chile, ground, or to taste
2 tablespoons aji amarillo chile, ground, or to taste
2 tablespoons smoked paprika, ground, or to taste
1 tablespoon cumin seed, ground, or to taste
2 tablespoons mexican oregano, or to taste
1 gallon buffalo, beef, poultry broth or water, or enough to cover the meat
1 whole lime, freshly squeezed
1 cup roasted garlic puree, see recipe
masa harina, to taste
sea salt, to taste
for the garnish
cheddar cheese, grated, preferably raw milk from michigan
braised pinto beans with bacon, see recipe
guacamole, see recipe
hickory smoked tomato salsa, see recipe
pequin peppers, crushed, to taste
12 whole fresh corn tortillas, warmed

Directions:

Using a sharp knife trim away any surface fat and sinew from the buffalo and discard. Cut the meat into 1-2 inch cubes.  Two or three hours before you plan to start the chili braise, toss the cut buffalo with the sea salt in a large bowl.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and reserve.

optional … (if not following the optional cold smoking continue the recipe forgoing this step)

Set up your smoker with the soaked and drained wood chips according to your manafactuers directions.  Place the buffalo in a perforated pan or similar suspended over the broth in a non reactive pan and cold smoke or "ice smoke" the salted buffalo for two to three hours. This smoking process is meant to flavor and not cook the meat.  Carefully remove the smoked meat and broth reserving any accumulated juices and transfer to the refrigerator to cool thoroughly, about one hour.

In a large well seasoned cast iron pan (or similar) heat the suet over medium high heat.  Increase the heat to high and add the cooled buffalo meat and sear on all sides using a slotted spoon until nicely browned. If your pan isn't large enough you should work in batches (overcrowding the pan will result in the meat touching and steaming making good browning incredibly difficult if not impossible).  Stir in the ancho and aji chile, paprika, cumin and oregano to the pan along with the meat and cook in the fat until toasted and fragrant.  Add the buffalo broth, lime juice and garlic puree, blend thoroughly. 

Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to a slight simmer.  Ever half hour or so stir and taste the chili adjusting the seasoning to suit your tastes.  After the first hour begin to thicken the chili with the masa harina, a tablespoon or so at a time sprinkling the corn flour evenly over the surface then stirring it in to combine. The chili should be ready to eat in about 3 to 5 hours or until the buffalo is tender but not quite falling apart and the broth is rich and thick. Some chiliHeads feel that a bowl of red benefits from a night in the refrigerator allowing the seasonings to "cure." Another benefit of a thorough chilling allows the fat to rise to the top and solidify so it can be easily removed - if you like that kinda thing!

Classically served hot in deep heavy bowls have all the garnishes ready for each cowpoke to add to his or her tastes.