Frank X. Tolbert'S Original Bowl Of Red
- 12 dried ancho chiles
- 3 lbs lean beef chuck, cut in thumbsize pieces
- 2 ounces beef suet
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or more)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons masa harina (optional)
- Break off the stems of the chiles, and remove the seeds.
- Place chiles in a small saucepan and cover them with water.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Puree the chiles in a blender with a tiny bit of cooking liquid to make a smooth, thin paste.
- Use as little liquid as possible, unless you want the chili to be soupy.
- Pour the chile puree into a Dutch oven or large, heavy pan.
- In a heavy skillet, sear the meat in two batches with the beef suet until the meat is gray.
- Transfer each batch to the chile puree, then pour in enough of the chile cooking liquid to cover the meat by about 2 inches.
- Bring the chili to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chili from the heat, and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Return chili to the heat, cover and resume simmering for 45 minutes, keeping the lid on except to stir just occasionally.
- (Too much stirring tears up the meat) Add more chile liquid only if you think the mixture will burn otherwise.
- After 45 minutes, you may add the masa harina, if you wish.
- The masa adds a subtle, tamale-like taste, but it also thickens the chili.
- Cover the chili again and simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Do a lot of tasting to see if seasoning suits you.
- Add more seasonings as you like, but go easy on the oregano to avoid ending up with a spaghetti sauce flavor.
- Take the chili off the heat, and refrigerator overnight.
- Skim as much fat as you wish from the chili before reheating it.
- Serve hot.
chiles, lean beef chuck, beef suet, ground cumin, oregano, cayenne, tabasco sauce, garlic, salt, masa harina
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/frank-x-tolberts-original-bowl-of-red-43498 (may not work)