Pat's Secret Technique Chili No. 4

My own invention, (after years of experimentation!), this full-flavored, medium-hot chili is much more about "technique" than it is about ingredients. By first making an easy roux, and subsequently a base sauce of basic ingredients, the flavor of those ingredients are raised to their natural pinnacle. If you think that your own chili is a bit watery or just does not pack a "flavor punch", then this one might just become your new chili. It's not set-you-on-fire hot -- it's "sneaky heat". If you have favorite ingredients, feel free to make changes and develop your own recipe from this one. If you do, I would caution you to add any additional "sugars" (sugar, honey, etc.) in the final ten minutes of cooking time as significant amounts of sugar-based ingredients will cause scorching over long periods of cooking. Bon appétit!

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs  ground chuck
• 1  large  white onion, finely diced
• 2  serrano peppers, diced (canned, or jalapenas)
• 2  canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped (with a little of the sauce)
• 5  tablespoons Wondra Flour
• 8  ounces beer (not "lite")
• 45  ounces canned chicken broth (divided)
• 15  ounces stewed tomatoes (with juice)
• 1  large green pepper, de-seeded and diced (any kind, e.g., bell, Anaheim, etc.)
• 2  bay leaves
• 2  tablespoons  dried onion flakes
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2  tablespoons chili powder
• 6  ounces  sliced mushrooms (canned, drained)
• 1  teaspoon seasoning salt
• 15  ounces dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 30  ounces  canned chili beans
• 2  teaspoons sorghum molasses
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  tablespoon butter

Directions

1. In a large skillet, make a roux by the following method: Pour the olive oil in the skillet over high heat. Add the butter, onions, serrano peppers, and chipotle peppers and allow them to saute, stirring frequently, until they are very tender and begin to brown a bit.
2. Next, sprinkle half the Wondra flour over the mix and stir. Allow the blend to saute for 3 minutes, whisking frequently, and then sprinkle the second half of the flour over the mix and continue to stir frequently until the mix is fairly dry and clumpy. Fell free to sprinkle on more Wondra flour as needed because some onions are more moist than others.
3. Next, deglaze the skillet by slowly pouring in 15 ounces (1 can) of the chicken stock, whisking constantly. Allow this sauce to simmer for 3 minutes and then add the chili powder, sorghum (or molasses) and stir. As soon as these ingredients are blended, add the beer to thin the sauce, still whisking constantly. After 3 more minutes, take the sauce off the heat and set aside.
4. In a large cooking pot, brown the burger and the diced green pepper, and, add the onion flakes, stirring frequently. I like to cover the pot when I'm not stirring.
5. Once the burger has browned up a little (not fried!), and the pepper has become somewhat tender, you may drain the mix if you wish (I never bother to do this).
6. Next, add the sauce to the burger in the cooking pot, in addition to all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, covered.
7. Once the chili boils, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer, covered, for about 90 minutes. If you wish for your chili to be thicker, just remove the cover and allow it to slowly boil until the desired thickness is reached. (ALTERNATIVE: If you know that you want thick chili to begin with, simply add one less can of chicken stock.).
8. Re-check the seasoning (you may wish to add just a bit more salt at this point) and remove the bay leaves, discarding them.
9. Serve with crackers and hot pepper sauce, or Tabasco, at the table.