Chili con Carne

Chili con Carne is a delicious one pot meal that is extremely versatile.  You can eat it by itself with a flour tortilla, serve it over rice,  serve it over has browns topped with cheese,  make some tacos, serve it as a side with a nice Mexican meal.  It also goes great with scrambled eggs.

Chili con Carne is not difficult to make.   You basically cook all of the ingredients  for about 2 hours and then serve.  This dish smells wonderful as the meat is cooking in a rich red chili sauce.

I like making this dish ahead of time, the flavor gets better with time.  Chili con Carne is a dish I cook for our Christmas Eve Buffet.  Everyone enjoys it.

Chili con Carne
From Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients:

1 (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
4 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 (3.5 to 4 pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled apart at seams, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1 onion chopped fine
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups water
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow corn muffin mix

Directions:

1. Process tomatoes and their juice and chipotle  in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds; set aside.  Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, reserving 3 tablespoons fat.
2.  Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown half of beef on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl.  Repeat with 1 tablespoon bacon fat and remaining beef.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon bacon fat, onion, and jalapeño to now-empty pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chili powder, garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add water, reserved tomato-chipotle mixture, bacon, browned beef, and sugar, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  Skim fat and continue to simmer, uncovered until meat is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
4.  Transfer 1 cup chili liquid to bowl and stir in muffin mix.  Microwave, covered, until mixture is thickened, about 1 minute.  Slowly whisk mixture into chili and simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.
Note:  Chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Serves 6 to 8

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