CHILI COLORADO

CHILI COLORADO
"Saw this recipe and it looked interesting. This is what they say about Colorado Chili. it means chunks of beef, not PORK! It is not a "Mexican" version of American style chili. It is not a thick, hearty type of chili with chunks of vegetables. If you ever have had Colorado Chili in a real Mexican restaurant, you know it is just chunks of beef in a red sauce.
2-3 lbs. beef shoulder, cut into 1" cubes
½ cup flour
4 Tbsp. oil
5 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
6 oz. tomato paste
2 cups water
salt and pepper

Spread the flour out on a plate and coat the beef cubes one by one in it, dusting off excess. Don’t skip this step because the flour also helps to thicken the sauce at the end.
Brown the beef in a heavy-bottomed pot in the oil over medium-high heat. You want a lot of color on them because the color equals flavor.

Pour in all the spices, the tomato paste, and water. Bring this to a simmer; season with salt and pepper, and cook low and slow for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours until the beef is tender and falling apart. A good test is to take a piece and try to mash it on your cutting board with a fork. If it falls apart, you are golden.

Serve it just by itself with Mexican rice and refried beans or use it as a burrito filling.

Yield: Serves 6