A Fat Vat of Chilli

SUPPLY LIST

MEAT

• 3 lbs. of coarse ground beef

FRESH PRODUCE

• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 large bell pepper (green, red, yellow, orange)
• 3 jalapeño peppers
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lime

CANNED

• 1 large can tomato puree
• 1 large can tomato pieces
• 1 large can tomato paste
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 can light red kidney beans

DRIED SPICES

• Cumin seeds (NOT the powder)
• Chili powder
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Oregano

DAIRY

• 1 tub sour cream
• 1 bag of shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, etc)

BOOZE

• 2 bottles of a good lager beer (Michelob works well)

PREPERATION OF PRODUCE & SPICES

• Onion – diced
• Bell Pepper – diced
• Jalapeño – cut off stem & crown, slice lengthwise, using a spoon remove seeds and light colored ‘guts’ leaving only the dark green pepper flesh. This lessens the peppers heat. Then dice them.
  (WARNING: WEAR RUBBER GLOVES!! If you chop up these peppers without them and touch your eyes, nose or other sensitive skin you will get a nasty surprise even if you wash your hands thoroughly. Don’t learn the hard way like me and have to stand naked from the waist down under a cold shower while your wife stands in the doorway and giggles.)
  
• Cilantro – 2/3 coarsely chopped, save 1/3 unchopped for garnish.
• Garlic – minced
• Lime – juiced with lots of pulp.
• Cumin seeds – Grind about 5 tablespoons worth or more.

SAUTEING
Cover the bottom of a sauté pan with oil (olive oil being the best) and bring to medium high heat and add your onions and bell & jalapeño peppers, sauté for a few minutes until the onions just start to turn translucent, then add your garlic. Continue sautéing until the onions are al denté (slightly firm) now increase the heat to high and add ½ a bottle of beer to deglaze the pan. Simmer lightly to reduce some of the water then remove the contents to your stock pot.

BROWNING
Bring your sauté pan to med high heat and add your beef. Immediately add kosher salt & black pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons fresh ground cumin, 1 tablespoon cayenne and 6 tablespoons chili powder. When the beef is half way cooked add the sautéed onion, peppers and garlic from your stock pot and continue cooking. When it’s done add the remaining and one a half bottles of beer to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat and add to stock pot.

ASSEMBLING THE REST
In your large stock pot that should already contain your beef, onion, garlic and pepper mixture add all of your canned tomatoes and beans (Be sure to drain the kidney beans first) and stir.

Now to add your spices.

This is when it really comes to personal preference and tolerance for pain. I like a bowl of chili that makes me sweat like a thief in church but doesn’t burn my lips off my face. Just remember it is far easier to add more than it is to try and remove what is already in there.

This being said, I generally add 6 to 10 tablespoons of chili powder, 3 to 5 tablespoons of fresh ground cumin, 1 to 3 tablespoons of cayenne and 1 or 2 teaspoons of oregano to the sauce along with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Slowly bring this mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Do not let it burn at the bottom of the pot as this can ‘scorch’ the flavor of the chili.

When it has reached a good ‘glub glub glub’ boil reduce the heat to low and add your lime juice and cilantro. Stir them in and let simmer uncovered for a couple hours until you can stand a wooden spoon up in the center and have a thick consistency.

Now just heat it back up and serve with a dollop of sour cream and generously sprinkled with cheese and a nice sprig of fresh cilantro for garnish.