You Makin' Chili?

When Dave and I first started dating, he had friends over to his house and I made chili. When I started cooking, he cornered me in the kitchen, gave me a big hug and growled, "you makin' chili?". It's kind of been a joke between us ever since.

I'm a big fan of chili. It's economical, it's easy to make, it can simmer on the stove or in the crock pot, etc. I love making it in the morning and not having to worry about lunch/dinner on a Saturday, just like today.

I change my recipe every time I make it, but this is close to what I made today. Chili is a casual food, and I definitely cook it that way. I never ever ever measure my spices. Usually I eyeball things or rely on my nose to guide me. (Read: my recipe may not be accurate) So tweak this one as you wish:

3 cups diced yellow onion
3 serrano chiles, finely chopped
1 lb chorizo
1 lb ground sirloin
4 T. chili powder (I like to use both regular and chipotle)
1 1/2 t. dry mustard
1 T. cumin
1/2 t. celery salt
3 T. garlic powder
2 t. cayenne pepper
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
14 oz tomato puree
40 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juice) (fire roasted is key: try Muir Glen or Hunt's)
12 oz great northern beans, drained and rinsed
24 oz chili beans (in hot or medium sauce)
12 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can beer (some watery ol' Coors Light went into this pot)
4 T. masa harina

For a (big) slow cooker:

In a large sauté pan, cook the onions and peppers until soft. Transfer the vegetables to a slow cooker. In the sauté pan, brown the chorizo and sirloin. Drain and transfer to slow cooker. Add everything else (skip the masa). Cook on low 8 hours (or so). Easy peasy. This is a big recipe, so you may want to halve the recipe (skip the sirloin and use only the chorizo).

For a stock pot:

In a large stock pot, cook the onions and peppers until soft. Add sirloin and chorizo. Brown, then drain fat. Add the spices to the meat/veggie mixture and stir until fragrant. Add tomatoes, tomato puree. Add beans. Add beer. Simmer on low for a minimum of 30 minutes. Add masa harina for a thicker chili.

I have no idea how many cups this serves. I'd guess maybe 10.