Recipe - Big Boy Chili And Beans

2 tablespoon Vegetable oil or bacon fat
1 One half pound Onions; coarsely chopped
3 lg Garlic cloves; minced or
crushed
2 pound Lean ground sirloin or chuck
2 pound Lean ground pork
Three fourths cup Chili powder; (preferably a
mix of half
Ancho and half pasilla; but
any will do)
3 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon Sugar ; (to 3 tbspns)
1 tablespoon Ground cumin; plus
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 tablespoon Dried oregano; plus
1 teaspoon Dried oregano; all crumbled
2 teaspoon Fennel seeds; (optional)
2 teaspoon Salt
One half teaspoon Cayenne pepper; (optional)
3 Bay leaves
1 cn Whole tomatoes (28 oz);
undrained, and
Roughly chopped
1 cn Tomato sauce ; (8 oz)
3 Bottles Dark or medium beer
; (12 ounce ea)
(Mexican Dos Equis;
Heineken, or Beck's)
=== FOR THE BEANS ===
6 sl Hickorysmoked bacon; finely
chopped
1 pound Dried small pink beans;
soaked, and
Still in their soaking
liquid
1 lg Garlic clove; minced or
crushed
2 teaspoon Salt

Spoon the oil into a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven set over
moderate heat. Add the onions and saute until softened and lightly
colored, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Reserve. Return the pot to moderate heat and crumble in the beef and
pork. Increase the heat to high and brown well, without stirring, for
5 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderatelyhigh and brown, stirring
occasionally, for
15 minutes longer. Return the onions to the pot and stir in
One half cup of the chili powder, 2 tablespoons of the cocoa, 2
tablespoons of the sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cumin, 1 tablespoon of
the oregano, fennel seeds, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Add the
tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce, 2 bottles of the beer
and 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours. Stir
gently every 30 minutes, but do not stir during the last 15 to 20
minutes so all of the fat will rise to the top. Meanwhile, prepare
the beans. Put the bacon in a large, heavy saucepan set over moderate
heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and deep golden brown.
Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Drain the beans (no matter
which soaking technique you have used) and measure the liquid. Add
water to make 6 cups. Add the beans and liquid to the bacon in the
pan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, over moderate heat.
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Add
the garlic and salt, partially cover, and simmer until the beans are
tender, about 1 hour longer. Remove from the heat and set aside. When
the chili has cooked for 3 hours, degrease it, skimming off most of
the fat. Place a paper towel flat on the surface to soak up any
remaining fat repeat, if necessary. Stir in the remaining One fourth cup
chili powder, 1 tablespoon cocoa, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon
oregano. Taste for balance of acidity to sweetness and stir in the
remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, if needed. Add the beans and their
cooking liquid. Set the chili aside to cool to room temperature. If
making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to
300 degrees. Stir the remaining 1 bottle of beer into the chili.
Bake, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring once in a while. Serve hot.
This recipe yields 12