Grandpa Snub's Chili

This isn’t your standard ground beef chili. Grandpa Snub’s version uses cubed pork shoulder, which turns meltingly tender after a long simmer. The real curveball? Sliced green olives and their brine stirred right into the pot, adding a salty, briny punch that makes this chili taste like nothing else in your recipe box.

Browning the pork cubes first builds a serious flavor foundation. Then the onion, green pepper, and garlic cook down for 15 minutes with a heavy dose of chili powder, paprika, and celery seed. That full hour of covered simmering breaks the pork shoulder down to fork-tender pieces that shred at the edges.

The pinto beans go in with their canning liquid during the last 30 minutes. That starchy bean liquid thickens the chili naturally and gives it body without needing a roux or tomato paste.

Pro Tips

• Cut pork cubes to a uniform 1-inch size. Uneven pieces cook unevenly, leaving you with some dry and some still tough.
• Don’t drain the olive juice. It sounds odd, but that brine adds a complex salinity that plain salt can’t replicate. Start with the amount listed and adjust at the end.
• Stir occasionally during the long simmer and check the liquid level. Pork shoulder releases fat and collagen, but the bottom can still catch if left unattended.

Variations

• Beef version: Swap pork shoulder for chuck roast cut into cubes. Same technique, slightly beefier flavor, equally good with the olives.
• Green chili style: Add diced roasted Hatch green chiles for a New Mexico-inspired variation that plays beautifully with the olive brine.