5 pounds Ground round (15% lean groun
-beef) 2 pounds Hot or sweet Italian sausage
-removed from casings — crumb 3 each Large onions — chopped
2 each Medium sweet red bell pepper
-seeded and chopped 2 each Medium green bell peppers
-seeded and chopped 2 each Fresh hot green chili pepper
-seeded and minced 4 each Garlic cloves — minced
1/3 cup Chili powder
1 tablespoon Salt
2 teaspoons Dried oregano
2 teaspoons Ground cumin
2 each Bay leaves
3 cans (28-oz) whole tomatoes with
-tomato puree — undrained 1/2 cup Yellow cornmeal
2 cans (16-oz) pink beans — drained
2 cans (16-oz)_black beans — drained
In a large soup kettle, cook the ground round, sausage, onions, red and green pepeprs, chili peppers, and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the meat is seared (but not browned), about 10 minutes. Pour off excess fat. Add the chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their puree, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced, about 1-1/2 hours. In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal and 1/2 cup of water. Stir the cornmeal mixture and the pink and black beans into the chili.Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thickened, about 10 minutes. (The chli can be made up to 3 days ahead. If desired, scrape off and discard the solidified fat that rises to the surface. Reheat the chili gently on top of the stove before serving.) Makes about 25 servings.