Pumpkin Harvest Chili

What could be more perfect for a fall dinner?  Pumpkin, chili and beer. This recipe from Simply Recipes combines it all in one hearty dish.

Ingredients

1-pound pie pumpkin (It is important to use a pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin and not a jack o'lantern pumpkin for this recipe)
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 or more (if you like it spicy) jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed and finely diced
4 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound ground pork
2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) bottle of pumpkin beer.
Your favorite chili toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips.

Instructions

Peel the skin from the pumpkin with a potato peeler. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and interior pumpkin "goo".  Cut away the stem. Cut the prepared pumpkin into small bite size pieces.

Heat oil in large pot. Add pumpkin, onion, garlic, jalapenos, chili power, cumin, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground pork and continue to cook, breaking up the pork as it cooks, until the meat is cooked thoroughly.

Add black beans, diced tomatoes, beer and 1 more teaspoon salt to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Serve with your favorite toppings.
The flavor of this chili improves overnight.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.