The meat:

½ lb ground chuck
4 lb sirloin steak tips (cut into ½ inch cubes)
2 lb sweet sausage
2 lb hot sausage
1 lime, a couple beers (any kind), and a wooden spoon

The night before you plan to make the chili,
mix together in a small bowl:
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp cumin
tsp cayenne
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt

Sprinkle seasoning mix over steak and chuck, mash it all up with the wooden spoon, then squirt the juice of ½ a lime over the meat. Cover with plastic, and put it in the fridge over night.

Put all the sausage in a large bowl (remove casings if necessary), then pour enough beer over it to cover the meat. Cover it with plastic and put it in the fridge over night, too.

The next morning, gather up:

4 slices hickory smoked bacon
2 large white onions
2 large green peppers (seeded and cored)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers
3 fresh red poblano peppers
4 cloves garlic
1 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 8 oz can tomato sauce
½ cup honey
½ tsp marjoram
2 Tbs cayenne pepper
2 Tbs chili powder
3 Tbs cumin
2 Tbs paprika
4 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2 Tbs spicy brown mustard
1 nice, hoppy, amber beer
1 cup masa flour
2 cans dark red kidney beans
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, jalapenos for garnish

The method:

Throw out the beer from the sausage, and feed the meat a bit at a time into a food processor to break it up (if necessary). Set it aside, and do the same with half of the steak cubes so your chili’s not too chunky. It’s okay if the chuck is mixed in here- it’s all going to the same place.

Thoroughly brown the bacon slices in your chili pot, then set the cooked bacon aside (you can use it for garnish later if you’d like, or just eat it while you’re cooking like I do). Brown all of the meat in the bacon fat, and then drain on paper towels. You will need to do this in batches.

While the meat’s cooking, chop up the onions and peppers and get ready to throw ‘em in the pot. Don’t use all of the chipotle peppers, I think I used 4 or 5 for a very hot chili, but you can use up to ½ a can if you’re brave.

Once the meat’s browned and drained, throw it back in the pot. Pour in the can of tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Then add all of the remaining ingredients except the beans and flour (and garnishes).

Let slow cook for about 3 hours over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the drained and rinsed beans about an hour before you want to serve the chili, and add the flour a few tablespoons at a time until it’s as thick as you like. You may need more or less than the recipe calls for. To serve, top with your favorite chili fixins!