Bolivar's Chili

First, check your supermarket and see if they have any Wick Fowler's 
Chili Mix. It's based on his cookoff-winning recipe. -- I have yet to 
come up with a better recipe. 

If you can't find it, here's how I'd proceed (some of this is true even 
if you're using Wick Fowler's ).  The instructions are basically the 
same he provides with his mix. The seasonings are close to what Fowler 
uses. 

* Meat: beef. Acceptable alternatives: bison, venison, elk. Anything 
else isn't chili.  Buy a naturally lean cut, about 2-3 pounds worth and 
have it COARSE ground, or chop it yourself by hand into sugar-cube size 
pieces. Ground meat tends to make milder chili, BTW. Good cuts are rump 
roast and top sirloin. 

* Brown the meat in your pot. If it gives off much fat, pour off the 
fat before adding the rest of the stuff. 

* Add a small onion, chopped fine, and a couple of minced garlic 
cloves. 
* Add an 8oz can of tomato sauce and 2 cans of water. 
* Add the following spices: 1/4 cup dark chili powder, 1sp ground 
oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tbl paprika, salt to taste. 

Cover and simmer slowly about 40 min, stirring occasionally. 

Now add the hot pepper -- ground Cayenne pepper. That's where you'll 
get the real heat. For this size recipe, about 1 or 2 tsp. This is also 
the time to add a thickener if you want your chili thicker. My 
preferred is "masa harina" (a special corn flour used in Mexican 
cooking) made into a paste with some hot water -- about 2 tbl worth. If 
you can't get that, then another alternative is to puree about a 
half-can of chili beans or red kidney beans and stir that in. 

Cover and simmer another half hour or so. 

I like this recipe best when cooked the day before, but it's good right 
away, too.