This weekend, why not spend some time in the kitchen and make a little Chili Con Carne?  My grandmother’s recipe is a family favorite. I always like to think of it as secret but it hardly is as she shared it in the hilarious cookbook she wrote back in the day(the stories are as good as the recipes).  I love making a big batch and then freezing half of it for a time when I don’t feel like cooking. My grandmother also insisted that chili, stew, and chowder all taste better after being allowed to “sagashawait”(made up family word for let sit in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld) for at least 24 hours.

(photo via the tasty kitchen)

Chili Con Carne

5 Medium Onions, chopped fine

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped fine

2 Tablespoons of butter or olive oil

6 Tablespoons of chili powder (or more)

1 Tablespoon Flour

2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander

2 Teaspoons Cumin Seed

2 Teaspoons Oregano

2 #2 Cans of Tomatoes

2 Cups Water

4 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoons Salt

2 Squares Unsweetened Chocolate (the secret is out!)

Fry the onion and garlic in fat until golden brown and limp. Mix the chili powder, flour, and all herbs together and stir into the onions. Cook 3 minutes and then add the tomatoes and water. Cook to simmer and season with sugar, salt and chocolate. Stir to dissolve and then cook hour longer.  The sauce should be about like gravy.  It can be thinned with tomato juice (note: my mom says to thin it with beer…I guess it depends on your audience but either is nice)

This amount of sauce will take for pounds of beef, cut very fine- almost like a hamburger, and will feed six people well.  Cook the beef in the sauce until tender. To improve the dish add two cans of chili beans.  Please remember to let this stand overnight!

 Have a wonderful weekend! xo Juliet