Bob Leonard's real Texas Chili

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I don't know about the book recipe, but I make my own "real Texas chili".  (I 
guess it qualifies because I'm a real Texan.

First, I saute lots of garlic and onion in oil (one of the few places that I 
DON'T use olive oil, just Canola).  I then brown my meat (ground beef, chili 
cut or cut up hunks, whatever is on hand and easiest)-about two pounds- in it 
and add my chili sauce.

I make the chili sauce by boiling a dozen or so New Mexico chilis in water.  I 
then puree them in the Cuisinart.

Next I add my spices, usually cumin, salt and sometimes cayenne pepper to 
taste.  Depending on my mood that day I might add a considerable number of 
chopped jalepeno peppers instead of the cayenne pepper.

I'll then add a couple of pounds of skinned and chopped tomatos and cook until 
the tomatos are soft and very broken up.  Some folks would never put tomatos 
in chili, I like it personally and those folks don't have to eat my chili.

Remember the courser and larger the meat chunks are, the longer that it needs 
to cook until they are soft.  With ground beef I cook at least an hour (very 
slow simmer).  With meat chunks it is closer to two to three hours.

Save the chili boiling water and/or the juice from cutting up the tomatos to 
use if the chili reduces too far and needs to be reliquified.  These add more 
flavor than just plain water.

If you need to "tighten up" the chili, then disolve a small amount of masa 
flour in hot water and stir that into the chili.  I like to cook mine to the 
right consistency instead, but I do like the flavor that the masa flour gives 
to the chili.  Only do this at the end.

I am usually with the "NO BEANS" crowd, but occasionally I'll add beans the 
second day to stretch out the recipe if there isn't enough.

This recipe probably isn't real accurate, I'm just putting it down from 
memory.  Actually, every time that I make it it is different because I just go 
from feel.  The measurements are certainly different each time.

Just try it and see how you like it.  It is a lot easier than it sounds-most 
of the time you are sitting around waiting.  Be careful with the number of 
chilis and the cayenne if you are the least bit sensitive.  We make it really 
hot but we are used to it.  You can always add more cayenne at the end if it 
is too mild.

I serve it with tortillas and lots of sharp cheddar cheese.

Good luck-this is a fun thing to do.

Bob Leonard, Jr.
bleonard.removethis@bga.com