Ben Shomshor's Chili Recipe

 

Ben Shomshor’s Basic Chili

20 lbs.	Pinto Beans, dry
10 lbs.	Beef, ground, 73% lean
12 lb.	Pork Cushion or Shoulder
5 lbs.	Onions
6 ea.	Peppers, Green, lg.
1 hd.	Celery, lg.
1 #10 cn.	Tomatoes, crushed
½ #10 cn.	Tomato Paste
12 – 16 oz.	Beef Base
2/3 cup.	Garlic, chopped
1 lb.	Chili, ground [1]
1 1/4 cups	Salt. Or More. Add this at near the end.
¾ cup	Cumin (or more)
¾ cup	Oregano, dried
2/3 cup	Cocoa Powder
½ cup	Paprika
1/3 cup	Cinnamon, ground
¼ cup	Black Pepper, ground
¼ cup	Coriander, ground
¼ cup	Basil, dried
2 Tbsp.	Allspice, ground
10 – 12	Bay Leaves

1.     Prepare the dried beans. I recommend soaking overnight and then cooking them until done before adding them to the chili.

2.     Grind or finely chop onions, peppers, and celery.

3.     Cut the pork into small (about ¾ inch) cubes.

4.     Work a substantial amount of water into the ground beef and cook in the oven, stirring as necessary.

5.     As the ground beef cooks, simmer the ground vegetables and pork for about 30 minutes

6.     Add all other ingredients except tomato products and salt.

7.     When the beans are completely done, add the tomato products.

8.     Adjust seasoning and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, while you prepare pies.

Allow at least 5 hours cooking time. The “secret” to a good chili is a ridiculous quantity of both salt and suet. Serve with chopped onions and peppers, grated cheese, lime sections, sour cream, crackers, and hot sauce.

 

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[1] This is not “chili powder,” but ground chili peppers. Chili powder is a blend of ground chilis, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, etc. If using chili powder, reduce or eliminate other spices as appropriate.