Last Place Chili
1 pound of beef, cubed small for stew
1 pound of beef chopped meat
1 medium onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 or 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned), chopped
½ teaspoon of chili powder
½ teaspoon of cumin
32 ounces of beef stock
(2) 6 ounce cans of tomato paste
(1) 15 ounce can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons of olive oil
4 dry bay leaves
1 tablespoon of grated unsweetened chocolate
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In stock pot, place cubed beef with 16 ounces of cold water, pinch of salt, bay leaves and olive oil. Over high heat, cook approximately 20-30 minutes until water evaporates and meat starts to brown lightly (stirring beef occasionally). Lower heat to medium, add in onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped beef, chipotle peppers, tomato paste and beef stock. Simmer on low heat until beef is fork tender, about (1) to (1 and ½) hours. Remove bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the beans, then the chocolate.
Serves 4-6
Larry’s tips: You can control the consistency of the chili by adding more broth if it’s too thick or cooking it a little longer if it’s too liquidly. Preparing the chili a day or two prior to consuming increases the flavor profile.