This came about because I was in Larry's and there it was, right there in the meet cooler -- "beef for chili, 23% fat." Beef for chili is a coarse grind of some random cow bits mixed with some random cow fat parts. It's a much better material to start chili with than standard ground beef because the bits are bigger and don't turn into that crumb-like consistency you get from ground round.
I added too much liquid tonight, meaning that the spices were diluted, even after two hours on the stove. Also, I messed up and added some white wine. Ick. Happily, it cooked out, and the diluted nature of the liquid allowed the wine to be a "background" note rather than foreground.
I believe that no chili should ever, EVER contain any of the following: tomatoes, tomato products, cinnamon, cocoa, sugar, bell pepper, or any soy product (including soy sauce, tamari, or tofu). It can be served on rice (or my favorite, Fritos), but it should NEVER, EVER, EVER be mounded over spaghetti. This is not a frikkin bolognaise, this is CHILI.
Anyway:
Chili (as I understand it)
2 lbs coarse ground beef for chili
EITHER:
2 1/2 tbsps chili powder
OR THE FOLLOWING FIVE INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tbsps chile powder (that is, powdered pepper)
1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsps ground cumin
1 can pinto beans (if you're a bean person)
1 bottle beer (preferably an amber or alt or Shiner Bock or Lone Star -- I use Alaska Amber)
1/2 cup water
1/2 medium onion, minced
Add beef to a 5 qt stewpot on medium-high heat. Cook beef until it's browned, removing fat as you go from the pan (as much as you want out -- I usually aim for half; the fat's there to keep the meat from turning to rubber at this point). Add the onions and sweat them a little. Turn heat to low. Add either chili powder or the four spices. Now pour in the beer and water and toss in the cumin and beans. Stir. Simmer for two hours or so, checking every 30 minutes. Add water if it's getting too dry. Serve over Fritos, top with shredded cheese, and drink beer with it. You did buy a six pack, right?
