Leftover Brisket Chili

I had a bit of a dilemma after Christmas--I cooked a 5 lb brisket for my family of 4 (actually 3, as my youngest refuses meat) and then we left town the day after. So, I bagged up the leftovers of this glorious meat and put it in the freezer. I've never had to freeze brisket before and so I've been searching for ways to use it up (and also wanted to use my beautiful, colorful, long-sought after Le Creuset pot my husband gifted me for Christmas). Tonight I tried this chili and it was fabulous. The meat was so tender and the flavors of the stew were a great compliment for the smoky meat. I might just be making large hunks of brisket more often.

Leftover Brisket Chili
-adapted from vindulgeblog.com

-3 cups leftover brisket (or any beef roast would be great, pork would work too), cubed in 1" pieces
-3 slices of bacon, diced
-1 large onion (about 2 cups), chopped
-1 red bell pepper, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, finely diced
-2 tablespoons chili powder
-1 tablespoon cumin
-1/2 t. chipotle chili powder
-½ tablespoon smoked paprika
-1 (12 oz) bottle beer (something light)
-¼ cup coffee (cold leftover coffee from your morning pot)
-1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
-1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
-1 cup water
-1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
-1 small can corn (drained and rinsed)
-1 small (4 oz) can diced green chiles

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, sauté bacon until crispy (I've got to be honest--you cannot taste the bacon in the finished product at all. I think this step is unnecessary and will omit it next time. I'll just start by heating up a small amount of olive oil and then sauteing the onions). Add onions and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add bell pepper and garlic; cook 1 additional minute to soften. Add the meat and all dry seasonings. Add beer and allow it to deglaze the pan and cook off the alcohol a bit (about 1-2 minutes). Then add coffee, tomatoes, beans, corn, water, and green chiles Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for a minimum of 30 minutes. The longer it cooks the more integrated and concentrated the flavors get--try for an hour if you've got it. Add more water if it gets too thick for your liking. Serve with toppings of your choice.

We topped with cheese, cilantro, Greek yogurt, and a lime wedge. Delish!