Sasha's Kitchen: Chili Con Carne

So, I have not been feeling great this week, hence the lack of cooking and lack of blog posts. But, I figured I could share one that was a winner that I have not yet had the time to write about. 

Last time I wrote about chili, it was my recipe for turkey chili which my husband and I both really enjoyed as our first foray into chili making. This time, we tried out a recipe for Chili Con Carne from Bon Appetit, which I followed with a couple of modifications. It was also delicious and another terrific meal with plenty of leftovers. I made half of the recipe in the link (which is posted below) and it was still enough for us to get two meals out of it. Yummy!

Chili Con Carne (based on Bon Appetit recipe)

2 T Canola Oil

2 pounds lean beef chunk, cubed

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 of a head of garlic (about eight cloves), peeled and diced

1/4 cup ancho chili powder

1 T cumin

1/4 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

6 oz dark beer (I used Guinness)

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes in juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1 T tomato paste

3 T masa (or pureed frito chips, which worked just fine)

grated Shelburne Farms 2-year Cheddar

chopped fresh cilantro to taste

chopped fresh tomatoes, to taste

fat free sour cream, to taste

pinch of pepper to taste

1 cup of water

Heat the canola oil and sear the beef cubes, half at a time. Cook until browned, stirring, for about three minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add a bit more canola oil if needed, and saute the onion for about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another two minutes. Add the ancho chili, cumin, allspice, pepper, and cloves and stir until fragrant, another minute or two. Add the beer and stir for a minute, before returning the beef to the pot. Then, add the tomatoes, a cup of water, oregano and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover partially with lid ajar. Simmer for about 1 1/2 to two hours, until the meat is tender. Cool for about an hour.

Then, simmer again over medium heat. Stir in the tomato paste and pureed fritos/masa, which will thicken the chili. Simmer until thickened, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, adding a quarter cup or water or so if the chili becomes too thick.

Top with cheddar, chips, sour cream, and diced tomatoes.