Walking And Talking Chili

Sauté one cup of chopped onions and two large chopped jalapeños (seeded if faint of heart) in a little vegetable oil.

Sear two pounds of diced meat (3/4 inch square) until grayish. Add two 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce and two cans of water. Bring to a boil.

Add onions and peppers.

Stir in:

• 2 level tsp salt
• 2 heaping tsp comino (cumin)
• 1 level tsp paprika
• 1 finely chopped clove of garlic
• 7 level tsp chili powder
• 1 can of beer
• 1/4 tsp (mild) to 3/4 tsp (hot) powdered cayenne pepper

Let simmer for two hours. Stir if you want to.

Now, put 6 heaping tsp masa flour in a cup and mix with a little water until you have a thick but pourable mixture. Stir this into your chili slowly for texture and flavor.

Let simmer another half hour if you can stand it.

Notes:

For the meat, I use half beef and half pork - half of a 2 pound beef chuck roast and half of a 2 pound pork loin roast work well. Or use the whole roasts and double the rest of the ingredients.

If you can't find masa flour (masa harina, which is finely ground corn flour), you can use all-purpose flour or bread flour

This chili will keep well for at least a year if properly canned, but could kill you if you don't know what you are doing. I can chili in pint jars for 75 minutes at 15 psi, or in quart jars for 90 minutes at 15 psi. Do it right in a proper canner, or don't do it!

Never, ever put beans in chili. People have died trying to mix chili and beans. Always eat separately if you must.