I use a chile puree instead of powder for better flavor and
texture.The Meat
Aside from beans, the meat is the biggest source of
contention among chili lovers. Some (like my lovely wife)
insist on ground beef, while others (like me) prefer larger
stew-like chunks. More often than not, I begrudgingly let
my wife have her way, which is why this time I was
determined to fight for my own rights—or, at the very least,
make her compromise her chili convictions.
After trying store-ground beef, home-ground beef, beef
cut into 1-inch chunks, and beef roughly chopped by hand
or in a food processor into a textured mix of ⅛- to ½-inch