Beef chili

Time = 15 min prep and 2.5 hr (or longer) cook
Servings = feeds an army (approx 8-12 people)
From = Kevin McCusker

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs ground beef (90/10 lean) (can sub tofu to make this chili vegetarian)
• 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
• 2 (15 oz) can black beans
• 1 (32 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (32 oz) can tomato puree
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 bunch celery (approx 2 lbs), diced
• 2 green peppers, diced (can sub other types of peppers if you want spicier chili)
• 2 lbs carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 can chipotles in adobado sauce (you will need 1-2 peppers, diced)
• 1 tub (15 oz) sour cream (to garnish)
• 4 cups cheddar cheese or jack cheese, shredded (to garnish)
• your favorite corn bread (to garnish)
• olive oil

Spices

• salt and pepper, to your taste
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• dash nutmeg
• dash onion powder
• dash oregano

Directions

1. If using dried beans, rehydrate overnight. If using canned beans, drain and rinse. Set aside.

2. Dice onions and garlic. Set aside in 1 pile. Dice carrots, celery, peppers. Set aside in a second pile.

3. In large stock pot on medium heat, saute onions until translucent. Add garlic and saute 2-3 min or until golden brown.

4. Crumble ground beef over onions. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until beef is browned and cooked through.

5. Add carrots, celery, and peppers, and continue cooking until veggies are slightly softened, 3-4 min.

6. Add pinto, kidney, and black beans, diced tomatos, tomato purree, and 1 can worth of water. Stir to ensure everything is mixed well, and then bring to boil.

7. Boil for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure chili does not bubble over. Reduce heat to simmer and add spices and 1-2 diced chipotle peppers. To start, use the amounts listed above, but you can always add more to your preference.

8. Allow chili to simmer for a minimum of 2 hours (longer is better), stirring every 5-10 minutes or so. (The longer it can simmer, the better! Taste the chili occasionally. The spices can take a while to come together, so begin conservatively and add more as needed.)

9. Approx 30-40 minutes before you wish to serve, add the can of tomato paste and bake the corn bread (if using). (If chili is still a bit runny after 40 min, mix a 1:1 ratio of warm water and cornstarch. Slowly add this a few tsp at a time to help thicken the chili.)

10. Divide into bowls and serve. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, and side of corn bread.