Nov

Double Beef Chili Con Carne

With chunks of stewing beef and ground beef, this is a beefy chili. The addition of cornmeal thickens it up and gives it lots of stick-to-the-ribs body. And, a few spoonfuls of cocoa takes the edge off the chili powder, while adding its own subtle flavour to the mix. That’s the secret of a good chili – layers of flavour. And this beef chili is layered devilishly just right.

Note: This chili cooks for 2 ½ hours (which is why the stewing beef is devilishly fall-apart delicious), so do allow time for this great chili.

Historical Note: Chili con carne, or the actual Spanish chile con carne, means “chili pepper with meat”. As for the kidney beans in this version, many a chili con carne aficionado will vehemently disagree with the addition of beans. Beans snuck into chili in the poorer areas of San Antonio in the early 20th century, as a cheap alternative to meat. In The Devil’s Kitchen, we think the meat and beans go well together – and we go by no rules.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

¾ lb (350g) stewing beef, in bite-sized pieces

½ lb (250g) ground beef

3 tbsp chili powder

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp salt

2 ½ cups water

1 15oz can tomatoes

1 15oz can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

¼ cup cornmeal

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1. In a large cast iron or enamel pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes.

2. Add the stewing beef, increase the heat to medium, and fry (stirring frequently) for 5 minutes – until the beef is lightly browned.

3. Add the ground beef and cook (stirring frequently) for 5 minutes – until slightly browned.

4. Add the chili powder, garlic, and salt. Stir into the meat. Add the water and tomatoes, and break up the tomatoes with a wooden spatula. Cover and simmer for 1 hour – stirring occasionally.