TF's Beef Chili

Serve over corn pudding.

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
3 pounds beef shoulder, cut into large cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T ancho chili powder
1 T ground coriander
1 T ground cumin
1 T sweet paprika
1 T dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 onions, diced
10 garlic cloves, halved
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 T tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/2 cup masa harina
3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese, for garnish
2 bunches chopped chives, for garnish
1 1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish

Preparing the chili:
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it.

As it's browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to "toast" the spices.

In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste and sugar and add it to the pot. Increase the heat to medium to steam vegetables a little and sweeten the peppers. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 1 quart, and add tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary.

When done, stir in the masa harina. Take a potato masher and mash the chili so the meat comes apart in shreds.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish each serving with the shredded cheddar, chives, and sour cream.

Serves 6 to 8