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And the reason for that is because of what it DOESN'T have...namely ground beef. Instead, Judith Finlayson, who wrote The Chile Pepper Bible, told Tonia's Kitchen that her original San Antonio Chili has no ground beef and cooks up more like a southwestern beef stew. Judith says you'll find a variety of flavors in this chili, and it's a meal that can last for awhile with leftovers! One item of note, you'll need a dutch oven, along with two kinds of chilies. Give it a try, you might just find yourself thinking of the sunny San Antonio Riverwalk on a "chili" November day!
- 2 each ancho and guajillo chiles, 2 reconstituted (see Tips)
- 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) pure lard or oil
- 1 lb (500 g) each trimmed boneless stewing beef and stewing pork, cut into 1⁄2-inch (1 cm) cubes and patted dry (see Tips)
- 2 onions, thinly sliced on the vertical
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 mL)each ground cumin and dried Mexican oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 6 green onions (white and green parts), very thinly sliced (optional)
- Crumbled Mexican Cheese, such as soft cotija
Instructions
Transfer reconstituted chiles with liquid to blender. Add cilantro and purée until smooth. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in Dutch oven, melt lard over medium-high heat. Add beef and pork, in batches, and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate as completed and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Add sliced onions to pan and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Return beef and pork to pan. Add reserved ancho and guajillo chile mixture and stir well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to preheated oven. Bake until meat is very tender, about 2 hours.
Ladle into warm soup plates. Garnish with serrano pepper (if using) and green onions (if using). Sprinkle with cheese.
