Chili con Carne with Scratch-Made Chili Paste

• 2 lbs ground beef — 80/20 ground chuck, not lean (ground pork or sausage blends in well)
• 3–4 heaping spoonfuls scratch-made chili paste
• Salt, to taste
• Coarse-ground black pepper, to taste
• Ground cumin (comino), to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• Paprika, to taste
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (paste works too — use less and add a bit more water)
• Garlic — pre-minced from a tube, finely minced fresh, or garlic powder
• Onions, diced
• Optional: 1 can pinto beans, rinsed thoroughly in a colander
• Reserved chili stock (from making the paste) or water, enough to cover

Method

1. 1

   In a large skillet or pot with a lid, brown the ground beef.

2. 2

   Fry the paste: push the beef to one side (or remove it), drop the chili paste into the rendered fat, and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it darkens a shade and smells toasted rather than vegetal. It will spit — keep the lid handy as a shield. Frying blooms the paste's heat and color into the beef fat, which carries them through the whole pot in a way raw purée stirred into water never does.

3. 3

   Season: add the salt, coarse black pepper, cumin, cayenne, and paprika. Season more aggressively than feels necessary at first.

4. 4

   Add the rest: tomato sauce, garlic, onions, and beans if using.

5. 5

   Add the reserved chili stock (or water) — enough to cover the ingredients, but not so much that it takes forever to reduce.

6. 6

   Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 1.5 hours — another hour only makes it better. Stir every 15 minutes or so. If it isn't reducing fast enough, uncover. If it reduces too much and starts to scorch, add a bit more stock or water to keep cooking longer.