Your Way Chili

This is from Village Food. You can make it it your own way. It is a solid base that's endlessly customizable - you can add additional peppers, beans, dark beer, chocolate, sausage or come up with your own "secret ingredient."

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  lbs  tri-tip beef, cubed (chuck steak or ground beef works too)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth (optional, but better than water or extra beef broth if the chili gets too dry)
• 1  teaspoon brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  ounce masa corn flour, for thiickener (arrowroot or corn starch works too)
• 1  small onion, finely chopped
• 1  whole  jalapeno pepper, seeded and quartered
• 2  teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can beef broth
• 3  garlic cloves, diced
• 2  tablespoons  freshly ground whole cumin seeds (cumin powder works too)

Directions

1. Brown meat until brownish gray in pot large enough to contain all ingredients.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for one hour.
3. (If you have more time and want to get fancy, 1. saute the garlic and onion first, 2. remove, 3. brown the meat with the salt, pepper, cayenne, and cumin, 4. add all ingredients including garlic and onion).
4. Your base is finished. Now is the time to get creative.
5. If you like beans, add them.
6. You can also add more cayenne for heat, a dark beer like Guiness, Negro Modelo or Sam Adams for smokiness; some folks even like a small chunk of unsweeted dark chocolate.
7. (If you accidentally make it too spicy you can serve it over rice.).
8. After you add your secret ingredients, simmer for 30 minutes more, then serve. Place a bottle of hot sauce on the table for those who like it extra-spicy.