All-American Chili

Ingredients

• 6 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 2 medium onions, chopped medium
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped medium
• 8 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated on a microplane
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/4 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
• 2 cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Warm a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is hot, about 1 minute. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic, sirloin, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring often and using the back of a wooden spoon to crumble the meat, until the meat is browned and the onions look translucent, 8 to 12 minutes.
2. Stir in the chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, tomato paste, oregano, black pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring the whole time, until the mixture smells deeply fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Pour in the wine, then add the tomatoes and beans. Turn the heat to high and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the flavors come together and the liquid has cooked down, about 1 hour, stirring now and then so nothing catches on the bottom of the pan.
4. Take off the lid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with graded cheddar. Serve with remaining wine.