Whole Hog White Chili

When my wife and I lived in Seattle a friend gave us a recipe for white chicken chili. That's the sort of thing they eat in Seattle in order to prove how different and interesting they are. However, as with most of the new foods we tried in Seattle, the difference was amazing.

I decided to use this recipe with one slight change for our Christmas chili. We have some leftover hog from my son's birthday:

So I substituted whole hog for chicken and the results are crazy (and good) enough to be a Seattle classic. Here's the recipe:

3 cans (or 1 lb. dry - but you will need to soak them overnight) Great Northern white beans

2-4 lbs. whole hog left-overs (you can use chicken)

Half of one large onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced

3 cans of green chiles

2 t. cumin

1 1/2 t. oregano

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. cayenne

8 cups chicken stock

1 bottle homebrew (brown ale), or whatever beer you have around

Brick of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Saute the onions, then add the garlic and spices. Add to chicken stock and beans. Then add the whole mess to the meat, including the beer. Let it simmer for hours.

If you wish, and I do, then you can thicken with flour. Then add the cheese.

This is the "kid friendly" version. I eat mine with Tabasco sauce.

You can serve with sour cream, but I don't.