Karen's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoon Oil rendered from suet (or bacon drippings)
3 lbs Ground beef, the leanest, chili grind
2 lbs Round steak, extra lean (or flank steak), cubed
1 lb Pork shoulder, extra lean, chili grind or cubed
1 lb Linguica or andouille sausage, chopped fine
3 Purple onions, large, chopped small
3 Walla Walla Sweet Onions, or other sweet onion
6 Garlic cloves, finely minced
2 cup Green Chiles, chopped (Ortega or other good brand)
2 Green peppers, chopped small
2 Red peppers, chopped small
2 Celery ribs, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
8 tablespoon Chili powder (Gephardt's or other good brand)
2 tablespoon Cumin, ground
2 tablespoon Spanish sweet paprika
2 tablespoon Oregano, dried (preferably the Greek variety)
4 Red peppers, dried (or 2 tablespoon crushed)
2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp MSG (Accent)
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Coriander (crushed or ground)
2 tablespoon Magi Seasoning
1/4 cup Tiger Sauce
16 oz Beef broth
2 cup Tomato sauce (15 oz. Each)
1 cup Tomato paste (12 oz)
1 cup Italian plum tomatoes, whole, diced
2 tablespoon Masa Harina (or flour)
1 lb Black beans (optional), soaked overnight
1 Beer from a good microbrewery like Ballard Bitters
Walla Walla sweets, diced, for garnish
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, for garnish

Instructions:

Wash beans carefully and soak in enough salted water overnight to cover them by 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer the next day until tender (usually 2-3 hours).

In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add garlic, onions, bell peppers, and celery. Cook until the onions are clear. Remove and reserve.

Mix ground meats. Add 1 T. Oil to skillet and sauté meat, cooking on high heat until thoroughly browned. Drain fat. Remove ground meat and reserve. Brown cubed meat, drain, and reserve. Place reserved vegetables and meats in chili pot along with linguica (or Andouille). Add all remaining vegetables, spices and liquids (except the beer, Masa Harina, or beans), a little at a time, stirring and mixing thoroughly between additions. Carefully bring temperature up to a simmer.

Cook covered on very low heat approximately 5 hours. Adjust the consistency after 3 hours. If too thin, uncover and reduce by turning up heat (carefully) slightly. If it is still not the desired consistency, add masa harina (or flour) to thicken, beer to thin, as needed. Taste and adjust for spices carefully (the flavor will develop as the chili cooks). It should be hot enough to be memorable, but not so hot it takes the skin off the roof of your mouth. It better to sneak up on hot. You can take it out. If it cries out to be hotter, add just enough Louisiana hot sauce.

Finally, and only if you absolutely must, add the beans. A chili purist would jettison them without a second thought. If you can bring yourself to do it, but want to serve the chili bean less as God intended, serve the beans on the side and let people indulge their own leguminous perversions.

Serve topped with chopped Walla Walla sweets, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and a pinch of parsley.

Serves 20

Submitted by: Doug from Illinois