Chili con Carne – a real American version

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 900 g minced beef
• 450 g salami (finocchiona), without skin or other Italian sausages
• 3 cans of kidney beans (425 g each), drained
• 1 can chili beans in hot sauce (425 g)
• 2 can/n tomatoes (800 g each) with juice
• 1 can of tomato paste (170 g)
• 1 large onion(s), chopped
• 3 stalk(s) celery, cut into fine pieces
• 1 green bell pepper(s), cleaned, cut into pieces
• 1 red bell pepper(s), cleaned, cut into pieces
• 2 chili peppers, green, cleaned, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp bacon, finely chopped
• 100 ml red wine
• 150 ml beef broth
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp oregano, dried
• ½ tsp cumin, maybe a little more
• 2 tsp Tabasco
• 1 tsp basil, dried
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper, maybe a little more
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp sugar, white
• ½ tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened, maybe a little more
• 225 g Cheddar cheese, if desired
• e.g. tortilla chips

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 15 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 45 minutes

In a large pot, brown the crumbled ground beef and sausage over medium heat. Remove any excess fat. Add the drained kidney beans, chili beans, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chili peppers, bacon pieces, beef broth, and red wine. Add the chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, Tabasco, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, cocoa powder, and sugar and stir. Cover the pot. Simmer the chili gently over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 2 hours, season the chili again. Then simmer for another hour. The longer the chili simmers, the better it tastes. Remove the pot from the heat and serve the chili con carne. Note: You can also cook the chili a day in advance, refrigerate it, and reheat it the next day; it tastes even better. To serve, pour the hot chili into deep bowls, garnished with tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.