Saturday, October 11, 2008

Chili

Makes: A ton (8+ persons)
Time: Start to finish 2 - 3 hrs

1 lb Round Steak
1 lb Ground Beef (80%)
.5 lb Red Beans

56 0z tomato sauce (I actually like to make my own out of plum tomatoes) 
29 oz diced tomatoes

3 T oil
1.5 large Spanish Onions
1 head Garlic
.5 Anaheim Chile (or a whole one, if you dare)

1 C Beef Broth
1 C Chicken Broth

3 t Kosher salt
1 t Fresh black ground pepper
3 T Chili Powder
1 T Cumin
1 T Mexican Oregano
1 T ground Coriander
3 T Dark Brown Sugar
1 oz Unsweetened Chocolate
1/8 - 1/4 Cinnamon (I prefer to scratch off a stick, rather than use pre-ground cinnamon)

Prep
1. Roast, peel, and gut the Anaheim chile. Puree it. If you'd like, add a drop of liquid smoke in there. 

2. I chop my garlic in the processor.

3. Beans: Soak the dry beans in 5 cups of water and some salt overnight. Cook them for an hour right before you are ready for them.

4. Cut the round steak into small cubes.

Process
5. In a large Dutch Oven, saute onions. Once they start to caramelize, add the garlic. After a few minutes, add the meat, salt, and pepper. 

6. Once the meat is cooked, I transfer this to a larger pot. Quickly add tomato products, dry spices, broth, and Anaheim chile puree. Simmer on low for about an hour.

7. Add the beans, chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon. Simmer again for another 30 minutes or so.