Chilli con carne

Ingredients

• for 10 servings

2 kilograms mince steak
250 grams bacon
4 tablespoons butter
2 onions
2 large cloves of Garlic
2 large green capsicums sliced small
4 stems of celery
2 cans of diced tomatoes (400g)
4 cans of cream of tomato soup
4 cans of dark red kidney beans (or dried pinto beans soaked overnight)
salt and pepper to taste
4 teaspoons of chilli powder
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons of paprika
2 teaspoons of powdered oregano
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons black strap molasses

Steps

1. Brown meat in cast iron skillet pour off all fat, put meat into large soup pot
2. Put 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet and sauté onions garlic peppers for about 10 minutes
3. Add meat to pot, put a tablespoon of butter to skillet and sauté celery for about 14 minutes.
4. Add to pot tomatoes, tomato soup, all spices and simmer on low heat.
5. Fry bacon in very small pieces until crisp but not burnt, drain off all fat and when cool crumble into very small pieces and add to pot.
6. Simmer for about 2 hours be sure to cover to prevent water loss.
7. After the two hours of simmering, and add the dark brown sugar and black strap molasses and beans and simmer for one more hour
8. Serve with mashed potatoes making gravy boat in the centre of the spuds, pour in broth from the chilli, put good portion of chilli next to the spuds, eat with French or Italian bread