Here We Go Again

Let's make some chili!  We'll start with the meat.

• ~1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb lean ground beef. 
• 1 lb lean sirloin stew meat, ~1 inch cubes

I've found mixing the ground beef and the stew meat makes a nice mixture.  The ground beef throughout the stew reduces any "wateriness" and adds texture.  The stew meat adds some chunkiness. You get something to chew on!  Brown ground beef and break it up as you go.  Add sirloin and brown.  Pour into colander to drain.  Don't rinse.  Just drain.  You don't want this to be greasy but you don't want it too lean either.

In the same pot add

• ~ 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 1 large green pepper diced
• 5 garlic cloves crushed

Sautee until the veggies are soft.  Add meat back in.  To this add:

• 2 14oz cans unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained.  Don't get flavored stuff.
• 2 4oz cans of mild green chilis, undrained
• 3 jalpenos, deseeded, demembraned, diced
• 2 seranos, deceeded, demembraned, diced
• 1 bottle Sam Adams Winter Lager
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 can tomato paste
• ~5 tbsp chili powder
• ~1+ tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Bring to boil then simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours, until meat is tender.  Once done add

• 2 cans dark kidney beans, drained

Cook until hot.

I made batch this past Sunday. It is good.  Meaty and spicy.  Next time I believe it could use some more onion.  Maybe another medium onion.  Maybe a different kind of onion.  Say a white or red onion.  Possibly another clove or two of garlic.  This is a lot of chili.  Lastly, I under did the cumin.  It probably should have double the amount.

If I'm feeling like going for the big spice I'll add another pepper or two.  I think I should look into roasting some peppers first to add that flavor.