(For a little while, my parents and uncle ran a little diner in Denver, Colorado, back in the 1940s. This is one of the items from the menu, reduced to proportions suitable for home preparation. No, it ain't Texas-style chili, but it's darned tasty.)
3 lb. ground round (or more)
1 large onion, chopped
2 T. chili powder
2 T. cumin
3 dried chili pequins
OR
3 tsp. crushed dried red peppers
Dash black pepper
Salt to taste
1 (15 oz.) can beans
1 qt. tomato juice
Enough water to rinse out the juice can
1 T. corn meal
Chop onion and place, with meat, in large pan. Add the red peppers, chili powder, cumin, pepper, and salt. Brown. Add tomato juice, water and beans. Bring to boil and sprinkle in corn meal, stirring constantly while adding. Reduce to simmer, simmer for at least 30 minutes. If too thin, gradually sprinkle in a little corn meal while stirring, until desired thickness is reached, or simmer uncovered until thickened
Note: 1) All amounts in this recipe vary slightly, depending on amount of meat used, amount of fat or water in meat, and brand and freshness of spices used.
2) Use kidney beans, red beans, or chili beans. (Our original recipe was for kidney beans, but nothing stays the same!) You Texans can leave the beans out -- I often do.
3) Start by adding just enough tomato juice to make the whole mixture like very thick soup. If the chili is too thick, you can always add more juice, later. I'd rather do this than cook it to death or fill it with corn meal, trying to thicken it up.
4) For best chili: cook as above, cool, refrigerate. Reheat and serve the following day.
5) Melt cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese into heated chili for a delicious dip for tortilla chips.
6) Serve over hot spaghetti or macaroni, topped with grated cheddar cheese.
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