The Mediadrome - Recipes - Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne

Serves 6-8

Masa is ground corn flour and is often enhanced with lime juice. Masa acts as a thickening agent and it gives chili a boost of authentic Western flavor.

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1 ½ lbs. ground beef		2 tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion		6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups micro-brew beer		1-15oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1-28oz. can crushed tomatoes		3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika		1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper		1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander		1 tsp. dried crushed, oregano
½ tsp. cayenne red pepper		2 tbsp. Masa corn flour
½ cup water
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Place a heavy, deep, stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Cook and stir the meat, breaking it into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Remove the meat from the stockpot and drain the meat in a strainer.

Add the olive oil to the stockpot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes.

Pour the beer into the stockpot and deglaze the onion mixture and pan juices. Continue to cook and stir the onion mixture for 3 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor of the beer.

Cover the stockpot and reduce the heat to low.

Cook the chili for 3 hours. Regularly check the chili. If it is too thick, add additional beer or water to thin the chili.

Ten minutes before service, mix the Masa flour with the water in a small bowl. Stir the Masa mixture into the chili. Continue to cook the chili until it is thick, about 10 minutes.