Fr. Lucas's Texas Chili (No Beans)

4-6 fresh Cayenne Peppers (red, ripe)
2 Pablano Peppers (these are green, great taste, heat varies)
1-2 Red Bell Peppers
3 lb of lean round steak or other tender cut of beef, cubed ½ to ¼ inch.
1 lb pork, cubed in the same way
3 onions finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic minced
4 Tbs (heaping) cumin
1 Tbs Oregano
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika
Salt
Pepper
1 (or so) 12 oz can of a full flavored beer
1 cup powdered tortilla chips, use a blender
½ -1 6oz can of tomato paste
2-3 (28 oz.) cans tomato sauce, or one can sauce and one can diced tomatoes in juice (not puree)

Cut in half and de-seed the Pablano and Red Bell peppers. Just cut the very top off the cayenne peppers to get the stem and green stuff off. Don’t worry about the seeds the blender takes care of them. [If you do want to cut and de-seed the cayennes, be careful not to loose any of the veins which is where the heat is.] Place skin-side up on a cooking sheet and broil at 350º F until skin of the pablano peppers is blistered and browned. Watch carefully: they can go fast. You may have to take out the cayennes a little earlier. They can go straight into blender. Put the Pablanos and Bell peppers in a freezer bag and seal to sweat off the skins. When a little cooler, peal off as much of the blistered brown skin as possible. Don’t worry about the small stuff. Put peppers in a blender with enough tomato juice to puree them smooth. The puree can sit for a while in the blender.

Season meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some of the cumin. (Can also add some garlic powder and paprika.) In a frying pan brown the cubes. It may take several runs, but only do one layer thick on the pan at a time so the meat really browns (enough but not too much) rather than stew in all the juices. Regulate heat so as not to burn pan. Place browned meat in a bowl. Pour some beer into the pan to deglaze (clean off the browned meat drippings in pan) while stirring and scraping.

While that is going on (or after) you can be sautéing the onions and garlic in a pot (add garlic after onions to keep from burning) until onions clarify. Add tomato paste and mix in. Add blended peppers and mix it all together. Bring to a boil for a few minutes. Add tomato sauce (and canned diced tomatoes, if desired) to sautéed onions and pureed peppers in pot. Then add meat, pan drippings deglazed with beer, remains in blender cleaned out with beer, (heck, clean out bowl meat was in with some beer and add), remainder of cumin, oregano, paprika, and coriander. You can also add a cube or two of baker’s chocolate.

Bring to a vigorous boil and then turn down heat to simmer. Stir every 10 min or so to prevent sticking to bottom of pot (a very real danger with the cubed meat and sauce). If it simmers very slowly you can stretch out stirring to 20 min or half hour. Test to see. Scoop off any grease that may rise to surface.

You don’t want to add so much beer that its flavor dominates. At some point thin with water, if desired. After cooking about 1½ hours add powdered tortilla chips to thicken. You can add enough brown sugar to take the edge off the acidity and add a layer to the flavoring, but you don’t want to notice it, i.e., make chili sweet. You can always add a little powdered red pepper to jack up the heat, if you need more.


Source: Fr. Jeff Lucas (High School Teacher/Priest)

My comments: This recipie might be very time consuming but the result in the end is amazing!!! If you want a hearty dip cook this down even more!!!