Texas Chili

Texas Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb. pinto beans
1/2 gallon water
3 lb. round steak, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Crisco shortening, divided
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. yellow onions
3 sweet bell peppers
5 dried chile peppers
2 qt. tomatoes
1/2 cup chili powder
Salt
Red pepper
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Soak pinto beans in the water overnight in the refrigerator.
In a 10- to 12-inch skillet, brown round steak in 1/4 cup shortening, stirring frequently.
In another skillet, brown ground chuck over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
Cut onions and bell peppers into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the ground chuck with 2 tablespoons shortening and sauté approximately 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Mince the chile peppers very fine.
In a large 8-quart or larger kettle, combine the pinto beans, browned round steak, ground chuck, onions, peppers, tomatoes, minced chiles and chili powder; cook covered on simmer for 2 hours.
Add salt and red pepper to taste. Add sugar and simmer for 4 hours, adding water sparingly if necessary.
Taste and add more chili powder, salt, red pepper and sugar as desired. Simmer 1 hour (total cooking time is 7 hours).
Serve with Texas toast or oyster crackers and ice cold milk or iced tea.