I’ve been craving spicy hot chili for YEARS! Finally, I invented a homemade buffalo chili that will knock your socks off! Spicy hot and nightshade-free! Amazingly it tastes just like traditional cowboy chili, but without tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, cayenne, or chili powder. Hooray! My guests couldn’t believe it has no tomatoes or peppers. Ha ha! The secret ingredients to authentic campfire flavor are buffalo, cumin, ground mustard, sweet potato, and beets. Buffalo or bison is a top protein flavorful food that’s lower in fat than beef. Plus it offers many other essential nutrients including B vitamins, zinc and iron. Look for 100% grass-fed, and grass finished bison to avoid GMO grain-fed meats. I consider buffalo a step above beef and poultry when it comes to sustainability, heart health and flavor.
Red kidney beans are optional. If you’re on the Paleo diet, skip these, because beans are not Paleo. Personally I confess that I enjoy beans occasionally. My secret to easy digestion and no weight gain is to soak them at least 12 hours, or fully sprouting is even better. Then my digestion is happy! Soaked / sprouted beans are lower in carbs, higher in protein, and packed with Qi or vital life force! If you’re going to do the beans, make sure they’re homemade. Canned beans are low in nutrients and lack that authentic cowboy flavor. I use 100% organic ingredients to avoid GMO’s, Monsanto’s Glyphostate, pesticides, and herbicides, to keep my physical health on a very high level.
This recipe makes a lot of chili. You won’t regret it, as it’s so tasty it will be gone in no time. So go ahead and make a big pot. I freeze any leftovers up to 3 months in serving-size containers, so I always have a meal ready in a snap! Serves 8.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry organic red kidney beans, soaked for 12 hours, or sprouted (optional)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 7 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 large onion
- 1 pound ground buffalo or beef meat, 100% grass-fed and grass-finished
- 2 large carrots, in bite-size pieces
- 1 large sweet potato, in bite-size cubes
- 1/3 beet, diced finely
- 1 medium zucchini in bite sized pieces
- 2 -3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon unprocessed salt or more to taste
- Lots of ground black pepper to taste. Start with 1 teaspoon.
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard, or more for a spicy taste.
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
- 2 cups Bone Broth, filtered water, or more as needed to cover the veggies.
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour, such as garbanzo or arrowroot. (Garbanzo flour is NOT Paleo)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- If you're doing beans, rinse and drain them. Put in a large soup pot with 4 cups filtered water. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer for 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Do not add salt. When they're finished remove 1 cup of bean liquid into a small bowl and set aside for thickening later.
- If you're NOT doing beans, start here: In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the coconut oil. Sauté the garlic and onion until they begin to soften. Add ground meat and separate it, stirring with a spatula until it is cooked and browned on all sides. Chunks of meat are fine.
- To a large soup pot, add carrots, sweet potato, beet, zucchini, vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, mustard, oregano, rosemary, bone broth, and cooked beans if using. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer. Add the browned meat onion mixture to the soup pot. Simmer and season to taste.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons of bean flour into the liquid you set aside earlier. Dissolve the flour and then add to the hot soup to thicken. Stir in chopped cilantro last.
- Serve with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
2 Replies to "Buffalo Chili con Carne, Nightshade-free"
Michaela September 24, 2021 (11:43 am)
Thank you for a fabulous recipe! I was looking for some recipes to reduce my tomato and pepper intake due to reflux issues. The sweet potato and beetroot is such a game changer, fab idea! Really smooth and lovely texture, fantastic chilli con carne. Thank you, what a delicious dinner we all had.
Jane Barthelemy September 24, 2021 (6:53 pm)
Hi Michaela, Love that name! Thanks for your message. I’m so happy you liked this recipe. I liked it too! Real food is always better. Best wishes for your delicious health! Jane