Chili

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of beef stew meat (cut into 1 – 2 inch cubes) 
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 Tablespoons canola oil                                             

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 green pepper, chopped (1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds ground lean beef
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more if needed when the chili is done)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (more if you like spicy)                                              

• 2 or 3  (16 oz) cans beans, drained and rinsed (kidney, black, white, or lima beans)
• 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon mollasses
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 8 cups beef broth

STEP 1  In a sealable plastic bag, mix flour, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Add beef stew chunks to the bag and shake to lightly coat the beef.  Add 2 Tablespoons canola oil into an oven safe pot and heat it on medium-high.  Brown the beef chunks in batches (do not over crowd the pot).  Use the last Tablespoon of canola oil as needed.  Set the brown beef chunks aside in a bowl, they will still be pink on the inside.  I don’t brown all the sides, just the top and bottom (see pic 1).  Repeat this step with the rest of the beef chunks.

STEP 2  In the same pot without the beef, add olive oil and sauté onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until soft (5 minutes).  Turn the heat back up to medium-high and add ground beef, bay leaves, chili powder, oregano, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and cayenne and cook for another 5-7 minutes.

STEP 3  Add the beef chunks back into the pot along with beans, tomato sauce and paste, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth.

STEP 4  Bring the heat up to high.  When the chili starts to bubble, turn the heat off and cover it with a lid.

STEP 5  Put the pot in the oven at 350° F for 2 hours.

STEP 6  The liquid will be reduced down and thickened and the beef chucks will be very tender.

Garnish your chili with cheese, avocado, green onions, cilantro, corn chips, lime or extra hot peppers.