SUNDAY STOVETOP BARBACOA CHILI

We love this for stovetop chili Sunday dinner, but you’d also score a touchdown it for game day festivities. Leftovers freeze well, too, for a speedy supper another night.

Tips:

• You can substitute 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, for the dried beans called for here. Add them to the chili during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• To make this in a slow cooker, prepare the recipe as directed through sautéing the onion, red bell pepper and garlic. Cut back on the beef stock to 1 cup. Cook on LOW 8 hours.

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 2 hrs, 15 min

2 tablespoons canola oil

1½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 onion

1 red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons chile powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained

2 cups beef stock

1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 package La Tortilla Factory Barbacoa Slow Cooker Sauce Starter

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 limes, divided

½ cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish

1 package La Tortilla Factory Traditional Organic Flour Tortillas, warmed

Sour cream, for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle stew meat with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding pan, add meat to the pan and cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer meat to a bowl and repeat with remaining meat as needed.

While meat browns, chop onion, seed and chop bell pepper, and mince garlic. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan. Saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chile powder and cumin. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add ½ cup beef stock scraping pan to loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in remaining stock, beef and any juices that have collected along with beans, tomatoes, Barbacoa Slow Cooker Sauce Starter, tomato paste and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer 2 hours or until mixture thickens and beef and beans are tender, stirring occasionally. (If chili starts to look dry, add a little water or more beef stock.)

Discard bay leaf. Stir in the juice of ½ to 1 lime, depending on your preference, and ½ cup cilantro. Cut remaining lime into wedges. Serve chili with lime wedges, tortillas, cilantro, and sour cream.

Number of Servings: 6