To make a big pot of chili:
The night before you want to eat the chili, wash a bag (1 lb) of beans (pinto, kidney, or black), cover them with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for a short time, remove from heat, cover, and let them sit until the next day. Of course you could cheat and use canned beans if you wanted to.
Five or six hours before serving time, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large pot. When it's hot, add a heaping tablespoon of cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds (don't burn them or they will taste bad). Add a chopped onion and 5 or so chopped cloves of garlic, and saute until the onions are a bit soft. Add a pound or two of ground chuck or ground round and saute until the meat is brown. If you bought the right meat, there shouldn't be any grease to drain off.
Add a large (28 oz) can of tomato sauce, a large can or two of crushed tomatoes, and a large can of diced tomatoes. Add the beans (draining first) and, optionally, a beer. I used to use cheap beer, but a bottle of strong stout gives the chili a really nice taste. Also, this is a good time to drink a beer if you haven't already; it's important to be in the proper frame of mind for the spicing process.
Add salt to taste, a little black pepper, several heaping tablespoons of chili powder, and a little oregano. Optionally, add any or all of the following: a bay leaf, 1/2 ounce or so of bittersweet chocolate, juice from one lime, a small amount of crushed coriander seeds. For heat, use any or all of the following: chopped jalepenos, crushed dried red chilis, your favorite hot sauce, and chopped habaneros. Wash hands carefully after handling the habs!
Leave the chili on high heat until it starts to boil, and then simmer for several hours. To avoid burning, stir often and find the lowest burner setting that keeps it bubbling. Add water if it gets thick too early. Sample the chili every now and then, and adjust spicing as necessary. If it seems completely cooked and is still too thin, add a tablespoon or two of masa harina flour.
Serve with crackers, grated cheddar, chopped onions, and cornbread.
Last modified: Sun Feb 13 15:15:36 2000
regehr@cs.utah.edu