Texas Chili

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) round steak, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 pound pinto beans
• 2 quarts tomatoes
• 1 pound yellow onions
• 3 sweet bell peppers
• 5 dried chile peppers
• 1/2 cup chili powder
• Salt
• Red pepper
• 1/4 cup Crisco
• 2 tablespoons Crisco
• 1/2 gallon water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Soak pinto beans in 1/2 gallon water overnight in refrigerator.
2. In a 10- to 12-inch skillet, brown round steak in the 1/4 cup Crisco, stirring frequently.
3. In another skillet, brown ground chuck on low heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.
4. Cut up onions and bell peppers in 1/2-inch pieces. Add to ground chuck with 2 tablespoons Crisco and sauté for approximately 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Mince chile peppers very fine.
6. In a large 8-quart or larger kettle, combine pinto beans, browned round steak, sauteed ground chuck, onions, peppers, 2 quarts tomatoes, minced chile peppers and the 1/2 cup chili powder; cook covered on simmer for 2 hours.
7. Add salt and red pepper to taste. Add sugar and simmer for 4 hours. Add additional water sparingly, if necessary.
8. Taste and add more chili powder, salt, red pepper and sugar as desired. Simmer for 1 hour (total cooking time is 7 hours).
9. Serve with Texas toast or oyster crackers and ice cold milk or iced tea.