Devon's Award-Winning Chili

Ingredients

• 5 pounds beef brisket, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 green peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup strong coffee
• Two 15-ounce cans kidney beans
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
• Sour cream
• Grated Cheddar
• Diced tomato
• Tortilla chips
• Guacamole (see recipe)

Directions

• 1.

  Watch how to make this recipe.

• 2.

  Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a very large heavy-bottomed pot and quickly brown the meat, in batches, on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic in the same oil over medium heat until limp, but not brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and cumin and saute for 1 minute. Add the green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes with their juice, the reserved meat, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt, to taste. Add the coffee, cover the pot and simmer for 1 more hour.

• 3.

  Add the kidney beans and basil, and warm through. Transfer the chili to a large serving bowl and serve with sour cream, grated Cheddar, diced tomato, tortilla chips and guacamole.