For any of you that have followed my blog for a while, you are aware that I lost my father to Metastatic Brain and Lung Cancer a few years back. Well today was his birthday and not to mention he was a huge Patriots fan, so it was an ironic one for me. I took most of the day to stay to myself and just reflect on life in general. That is what inspired my rant in the first paragraph. I just can't stand how many people I see go through their lives day in and day out and waste on the pointless minuscule crap instead of paying attention to the important details. All those people that are now crying because the patriots lost, or getting hammered, or being reckless might just want to look around and be happy they are healthy, with friends and family, and doing so in freedom. I just wish I could flick a light switch and help people realize that they are in control of their lives and can make a difference in so many others just by appreciating what they have and being a little selfless. Grrrr if I keep going this paragraph isn't even going to make sense anymore so I am just gonna stop while I am ahead. I will just end with this so you can go on and enjoy this recipe. When you wake up in the morning, your in control on how your day turns out, you either put a smile on your face or you drudge through your boring routine. Do me a favor, make a change, start with a smile, pay for a strangers coffee, say good morning to someone you would normally just walk past, hold the door for someone, etc. Just do something different today, I will thank you, the world will thank you, and I would be willing to bet you will end up thanking yourself!
Bacon Bison Butternut Squash Chili (Triple B Chili)
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 6 slices of bacon
- 1 pound ground bison (or beef)
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 3 jalapeños, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 14 ounces organic tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit
- Mix the butternut squash and coconut oil together in a small roasting pan and roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until crispy, set aside to cool
- Add the bison to the bacon grease in the pan and cook through
- Stir in the onion, garlic, and jalapeños and cook until the onions are translucent
- Add the salt, oregano, cumin, and cayenne and then cook while stirring for a minute
- Crumble your bacon and add it as well as your tomatoes with the juice and apple cider vinegar
- Bring to a simmer and let simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes
- Once done, place your chili in a bowl and top with your roasted butternut squash
- Sprinkle with some cinnamon or cocoa powder if desired
- Enjoy
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Blueberry Espresso Brownies
Hi, I’m sort of new to paleo, and I’m wondering why olive oil isn’t recommended in your recipes. I thought olive oil was an ancient oil and healthful. I’m planning on making the chili tonight and would use olive oil for roasting the squash instead of coconut; anything wrong with this?
You can use olive oil, it is just not recommended to use with heat. Olive oil is best cold without possibly being burnt and having the fats oxidize. Coconut oil is best for cooking and olive oil for finishing.
I just used olive oil for the roasting of the squash, and it was delicious!
I was so psyched about making this recipe. I thought for a minute that 1/2 cup of ACV was quite a lot but I went ahead with it anyway. The taste of ACV overwhelmed the dish. I did LOVE the butternut squash and I used it in every bite of the chili in order to disguise the vinegar taste.
It helped. Was the amount perhaps a typo? Or, is it just me and my husband’s taste buds. I will try it again without the ACV.
Thanks for the comment. I went ahead and adjusted the ACV to a 1/4 cup. Hope this makes the recipe everything you wanted!
OMG, George, just made this now. Subbed ground turkey because that’s what we have and I’m waiting for my husband to get home for dinner . . . feeling like he’ll be lucky if I haven’t snarfed a good portion of this down by the time he gets here! This is going to be a regular in our late fall/winter rotation for sure. Delicious!
Awesome, let me know how it turns out.
George – I just made this again, again w/ground turkey and it was yet again delicious. I don’t repeat many recipes . . . I love to cook & experiment, so for me to repeat, well, it has to be worth it! Tonight I sprinkled cinnamon over mine – took it to another level!
Oh that sounds amazing, I will try it. Keep on making it :)
Ohmigoodness!! It is a snowy, icy, cold day here in Minnesota (yes, April 16th and ice and snow). So it is a great day for chili. We tried this recipe for the first time and it is AMAZING! The perfect thing to come home to after a white-knuckle drive home. So grateful for a hubby who cooks and your awesome recipes!
Tried this Saturday and it was amazing! I changed up the order of cooking and sauteed the onions, garlic and peppers before adding the ground bison to get the flavor of them into the oil and allow them to cook before adding the meat
Awesome idea. Glad it turned out so well :)
Any suggestions on sub for jalapeño? I don’t have any on hand today but have everything else! I have a small can of green chilies. Think some of those would work? How much? Or would something else work?
Thanks!
I would use some green chiles instead, definitely.
This is phenomenal! I searched for a recipe to make for my new boyfriend, and had already set the bar pretty high because I made your pulled pork with beasty sauce for the first meal i cooked for him. i laughed because i put this on the table and as we started eating, and all we talked about for the first 5 minutes was how delicious it was (the cumin is perfect! the bacon adds so much! etc. )i had some stew meat in the fridge so i also added that to the pan. The chili was amazing and i will make this recipe, along with the pulled pork, forever and ever. Plus, i really impressed this great man i am dating! When he left i sent him with leftovers, and he said that he was going to be in my life a long time. Thank you George. You have helped me so much! i have lost 50 pounds, my health issues are so much better, and i have a wonderful man in my life who loves your recipes as much as i do!
I was really excited to try this recipe tonight, but it didn’t work for my family either. I also used Bragg’s, as another commentor said, and it was way too strong. It was pretty much all we could taste. Bragg’s is the only ACV that I keep in my house, so I’m not familiar with the differences in flavor between the Bragg’s and regular ACV. Any thoughts? Thanks! :)
Really? I’ve never had trouble with that. I’m not sure I have any advice to offer you. Maybe you can try it with another brand and let me know how that turns out? :)
This was awesome. I added some extra veggies (carrot, celery, orange pepper) when I added the onion and garlic. I mashed up some of the butternut squash and mixed it into the chili before simmering.
Delicious
So I know this is an older recipe, but I just got around to making it for the first time this weekend. Ever sense going Paleo I’ve made like 50 different types of chili and this is by far the best one! I forgot the vinegar and used grass-fed beef and it was still amazing. I’ve eaten it five days in a row for lunch and now I’m sad I don’t have anymore left. Thanks for the recipe!
That makes me happy Heidi, I hope you keep making it :)
Any suggestions for replacing the tomatoes in the recipe? We’re on an anti-inflammatory diet and tomatoes are definitely not on the menu.
Anything you like
I just stumbled onto this page after a friend posted your bacon taco recipe on my page. I have to say that after I read your rant about football above, I had to Like your FB page cause I couldn’t agree more with this country’s sick obsession with the game.
Absolutely delicious!!! I made this the other night for the family and not a drop was left over. Who would have thought chili without beans, but squash. The squash almost tasted like potatoes. Another recipe yet again I am impressed with by you. Thanks!!!
You are so welcome. I am glad everyone loved it
I am obsessed with this recipe! I make this about every other week and enjoy leftovers for lunch for a few days afterwards. The apple cider vinegar makes the chili amazing. I even made it while we were without power for 2 weeks because of Hurricane Sandy. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Woot woot so glad you love it :)
how do you think this would hold up in the crockpot?
Hmmm I think it might get too done or a little mushy but its worth a shot
This was ridiculously good. My family loved it and I used a Poblano instead of Jalapeños with Grass fed beef. Cant wait to make it when it gets colder
So glad you guys enjoyed it Anthony
Does anyone have the nutrition information for this recipe…what’s a serving? calories? I’m curious
Oh I don’t count or calculate calories for anything. You can do it on myfitnesspal
LOVED this…I didn’t have the fresh Jalapeno so I used a can of ROTEL and it was delicious. I put cinnamon on the top which I was hesitant about but it really works terrific with the squash. The house smells wonderful and I love the kick it has. Definitely a do over George.
Woohoo for yummy food :)
That chili was so good i’d eat it on a shoe, the butternut squash was a nice slightly sweet balance to the acid of the peppers and vinegar
Oh thats so awesome to hear, so glad you enjoyed. I myself love this recipe too :)
This was absolutely amazing! We went a little light on the heat, added a sprinkle of cinnamon on the squash and everyone loved it. It is definitely a new favorite. Thank you!
You are most welcome, I am so glad you enjoyed
Hmm. I liked this recipe, but it wasn’t my favorite. Maybe it’s because I used Bragg’s apple cider vinegar, but it pretty much dominated the taste of my chili…which made it not really taste like chili, lol I added some salsa and it balanced it out a little, but I was kinda sad bc I couldn’t taste the bacon at all. :'( The squash was a nice touch, though- especially with cinnamon.
I’m sorry Chrissy I hope you try it with a little less apple coder vinegar next time. Sorry it didn’t turn out good
This was really good! My youngest 4 children all really liked it. Great alternative to the traditional chili we used to eat regularly. I didn’t measure exactly because I was tripling the recipe (family of 9), and we added avocado ( I add avocado to almost everything!) This was a great, fast and delicious supper. Thanks so much.
Oh thats so awesome Grace, that sounds yummy and I am so glad you enjoyed it
I can’t wait to try this chili! I totally agree with your rant above. I lost my Dad when I was 15 and my Mom several years ago when I was 32. It really does make you appreciate what a gift each day is!
How come you never put any of the nutritional info about your recipes? Calories, fat, those kind of things?
Because I don’t count calories, that is one of the premises of the Paleo Diet. Not to mention it is too time consuming.
I couldn’t agree more. Eat good, healthy Paleo food and enjoy! That’s all that matters.
Welcome Rachel. I hope you enjoy many of my recipes
A good recipe and some *great* reminders about what’s really important George. Ron lost his Dad when he was 6 years old and then lost him mom at 17 years old. It sure has helped me appreciate still having my own parents in my life.
I am very sorry for your loss.
I just “so” happen…oops :-)
I hope you try this and like it
OMG…delish!! Didn’t have the bacon for it, but it was still good without…so it will probably be that much better when I add bacon back in!!
Awesome so glad you enjoyed
ohhhh…I just to happen to have some bison defrosting in the fridge…can’t wait to try this!!
This looks very tasty! I may have to try that one as a mealpod. I bet it freezes great!
I have all the ingredients in the house for this…This will be lunch tomorrow!!!!
Thank you for the recipe and the inspiration :)
You are most welcome