Chili Con Carne

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 1/2 pounds pork stew meat or shoulder, cut into 1- inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup corn oil
• 2 large Spanish onions, chopped
• 10 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chili powder, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Serving suggestions: White rice, chopped cilantro, shredded Cheddar, chopped tomatoes, minced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers

Directions

Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and season with the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large stew pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meat, in small batches, until well browned, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer meat to a bowl and reserve.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Saute the onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more. Stir in the 1/3 cup chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for 2 minutes. Add the canned diced tomatoes and whisk in 4 cups of the stock. Add the meat and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season the chili with the salt and pepper, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

In a food processor or blender puree half of the beans with the remaining 1 cup of stock. Add the bean mixture to the chili along with the whole beans. Let simmer, uncovered, 1 hour more or until the meat is tender. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons chili powder and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with rice and suggested condiments.

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