FRED’S FAMOUS TARHEEL CHILI

FRED’S FAMOUS TARHEEL CHILI



1 lb. Pinto beans, picked over and rinsed
2-1/2 lbs. ground beef chuck
2 lbs. ground pork
3 large bell peppers of assorted colors, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
½ cup chili powder
2 tbsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. dried oregano
42.5-oz. canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
½ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Salt & pepper, to taste
For garnish: chopped onion shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream and salsa


Soak the dried beans according to the package directions and drain. In a pot combine beans with enough water to cover by 2-inches. Bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans until almost tender, about an hour.

Set an eight-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, add the beef and pork. Cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until well browned (don’t crowd the meat it will steam, not brown). Transfer each batch to a bowl using a slotted spoon.

Heat the drippings in the same pot over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onions, chili powder, cumin seeds, and oregano, cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the reserved meat, and simmer for 1 hour. Add the beans and simmer until the chili is thickened and the beans are tender, about an hour longer. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper. Garnish each serving with onion, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Note: For a speedier chili, instead of dried beans, two (16-oz.) cans of pinto, kidney, or black beans, rinsed and drained. Prepare the recipe as directed, except omit step 1 and after adding the beans in step 3, reduce the cooking time to 30 minutes.

Yield: serves a crowd.