Junior's Fat Boy

For years since we moved to White Rock from Winnipeg, one of the things I have missed most is the food. And one of the ones I missed most was hamburgers and fries with chili from a couple of my favorite burger joints. Junior’s, The Whip on Marion, and the Red Top on St. Mary’s Rd. are just a few of my old stomping grounds.This chili was put on hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries…and in some cases pasta. It is more like a sauce then a chili.

It took me years to find and perfect this recipe, and now I share it with you…This recipe makes a huge batch, but it freezes wonderfully!

Ingredients…

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
2 yellow onions, finely minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 kg (2 lbs) lean ground beef
30 ml (2 tbsp) chili powder
15 ml (1 tbsp) ground cumin
15 ml (1 tbsp) dried oregano leaves
10 ml (2 tsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
10 ml (2 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) celery seeds
5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric
5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon
2 ml (1/2 tsp) hot red pepper flakes
500 ml (2 cups) tomato juice
500 ml (2 cups) canned beef broth
60 ml (1/4 cup) cornmeal

Preparation

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
2. Combine chili powder with ground cumin, oregano, cocoa, salt, celery seeds, turmeric, cinnamon and hot red pepper flakes and add to the pot!
3. Add ground beef. Don’t “brown’ it…
4. Add tomato juice and broth and mix it all up.
5. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
6. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 1 1/2 hours. Add cornmeal and stir for 2 minutes.

Can be prepared ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and freeze in airtight container up to 2 months or refrigerate up to 3 days. Warm over medium-low heat.