Dad's Halloween Chili

Dad started making chili each Halloween. Now it's a family tradition! Follow it up with some hot cider, and sides of cornbread, chips or rice and cheese on top of course.

3 pounds lean boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat, sliced half inch thick and cut into half inch cubes.
6 dried ancho chilies, each about 2 inches long
8 dried hot chiles, each about 2 inches long (try mild mexican chilles per dad if you do not want it too hot)
3.5 cups boiling water
half pound beef suet, cut into half inch bits, about 2 cups
3 medium sized bay leaves finely crumbled
1 T cumin seed
2 T coarsely chopped garlic
4 t dried oregano
3 T paprika
1 T sugar
1 T salt
2 T cornmeal
2 cups dried pinto beans freshly cooked
3 cups raw unprocessed long grain rice freshly cooked

Under cold running water, pull the stems off the ancho and red chilies.  Tear the chilies in half and brush out their seeds.  With a small, sharp knife cut away any large ribs.  Crumble the chilies coarsely, drop them into a bowl and pour the boiling water over them.  Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, then strain the soaking liquid through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve it.  Set the chilies aside.

In a heavy 5 to 6 quart casserole, cook the beef suet over moderate heat, stirring frequently until it has rendered all its fat.  With a slotted spoon, remove and discard the suet bits.  Pour off all but about 4 tablespoons of the fat remaining in the pot.

Add the beef cubes to the casserole and stirring constantly cook over moderate heat until the pieces of meat are firm but not brown.  Add 2 cups of the reserved chili-soaking liquid and bring it to a boil over high heat.  Drop in the bay leaves and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer partially covered for 1 hour, stirring the mixture from time to time.

Meanwhile, place the cumin seeds in a small ungreased skillet and sliding the pan back and forth frequently, toss the seeds over low heat for ten minutes.  Drop the seeds into an electric blender and blend at high speed for 30 seconds.   Turn off the machine, add the ancho and red chilies, the remaining chili-soaking liquid, the garlic, oregano, paprika, sugar and salt, and blend again at high speed until all of the ingredients are reduced to a smooth puree.

When the meat has cooked its allotted time, stir in the chili puree and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes.  Then stirring constantly, pour in the cornmeal in a slow stream and cook over high heat until the chili comes to a boil and thickens slightly.  Taste the chili for seasoning.   Put pinto beans in with chili and serve over rice.  

and the tradition continues......