Classic Cowboy Chili

This classic cowboy chili recipe is from the mobile edition of the Joy of Cooking, my favorite cookbook. 

Serves about 8 cups. 

Modifications:

I modified this recipe by adding 1 can 16 oz. chopped tomatoes, 3 T. brown sugar, and 1 T. California chili powder. I omitted the garlic. I omitted the can of beer to keep it gluten-free. I made the ancho chili powder by purchasing dried pasilla peppers - in California, ancho chiles are sold under the name pasilla chiles - which were large and a bit rubbery. Using rubber gloves, I seeded and stemmed the chilies, cut in pieces, and ground to a powder in my electric coffee grinder. I chopped the steak into 1" chunks, browned quickly, and immersed the meat immediately into boiling tomato concoction in the stock pot to keep the meat tender. I quick-soaked dried beans, half pinto and half black, and rinsed several times to remove as much phytic acid as possible. I then cooked the beans in my pressure cooker in advance of making the chili. 

Macleid’s Rockcastle Chili

From the Joy of Cooking® app.
This is a Saturday-night staple on Rockcastle River Gorge camping trips. Camp chef and good friend Matt MacLeid has also

prepared it for us on the firepit at our Tennessee mountain home. Cook in a large skillet until the cracklings are golden brown:

8 ounces bacon, diced

Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon. Cook briefly in the drippings:

11⁄2 pounds beef round steak, coarsely ground or chopped in a food processor 6 to 12 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 large onions, coarsely chopped

Add, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and stir until the foam disappears:

One 12-ounce bottle dark beer

Remove all to a Dutch oven or large pot; stir in bacon and:

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with their juice
One 16-ounce can kidney beans, with their liquid
One 16-ounce can Great Northern beans, with their liquid One 16-ounce can pinto beans, with their liquid
6 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon black pepper
11⁄2 cups water or one 12-ounce ounces bottle dark beer

Simmer for about 3 hours, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Season to taste with:

Salt and black pepper Hot pepper sauce

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