Puppy’s Breath Chili

Ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable oil (Wesson brand preferred)
3 lbs tri-tip or sirloin tip, cut in small pieces or coarsely ground
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (13 3/4 oz) beef broth
3 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, then divided in half
3 Tbsp commerical chili powder (Gebhardt’s brand preferred)
1 Tbsp mild pure New Mexico chile powder
6 Tbsp mild pure California chile powder
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (Hunt’s brand preferred)
1 dried New Mexico chile pod, boiled and pureed
3 dried California chile pods, boiled and pureed
1 can (13 3/4 oz) chicken broth
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
Pinch of MSG
Salt to taste

Instructions:

In a chili pot, heat oil and cook meat over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add onion and enough beef broth to cover. Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes.

Add 1 Tbsp cumin and the oregano, reduce heat to a simmer, and add 1/2 of the garlic. Then stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp commercial chili powder, 1/2 Tbsp New Mexico chile powder, and 3 Tbsp California chile powder and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce, pulp from the dried chiles, and remaining garlic. Add remaining beef broth and enough chicken broth for desired consistency and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining New Mexico and California chile powders, commercial chili powder, and cumin and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn up heat to bring chili to a slow boil and add Tabasco, brown sugar, lime juice, MSG, and salt to taste. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Serves 8.

By Cathy Wilkey.