Chili (Pork Shoulder & Bacon Kansas City Rye's Red Chili)

Pulled pork stands in for the burnt ends of barbecued brisket in this robust Kansas City-style bean chili inspired by one from the restaurant Rye KC in Leawood, Kansas.

1 lb pork shoulder, boneless
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
⅓ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 (12 oz) bottles pale ale-style beer
6 oz sliced bacon, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp. dark red chile powder
½ Tbsp. Aleppo pepper
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken stock
2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
2 (15.5 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, drained
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Garnish:
scallions, sliced
cornbread

Heat oven to 500°F (260°C/240°C fan, Gas Mark 10).

Place pork in a 9x13" baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Rub with brown sugar, garlic powder, and cumin. Bake until browned, 30-35 minutes.

Reduce heat to 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2).

Add 1 bottle of beer and cover tightly with aluminum foil; bake until pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Let meat rest for 20 minutes, then shred.

Heat bacon in an 8 qt saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until fat is rendered, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, onion, and bell pepper; cook until soft, 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste, chile powder, Aleppo pepper, chile flakes, and bay leaves; cook until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add remaining bottle of beer, plus stock, tomatoes, and beans; boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered slightly, until beans are very tender and chili is slightly thick, 1½-2 hours. Stir in shredded pork, plus hot sauce and Worcestershire. Garnish with scallions and crumble cornbread over top, if you like.

Makes 8-10 servings.