Best steak chili ever!

For Christmas Eve dinner I made chili.  Mostly because I could throw it in the pot and we could eat whenever we would like :) This makes a very large pot, so you may want to cut the recipe in half.  I like to make a big pot and then freeze it for a quick meal!

2 lbs stew meat, cut into bite size chunks

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced very small

2- 15 oz cans of chili beans in mild spicy sauce- not drained

2 - 15 oz cans red kidney beans, rinsed

2- 28 oz cans diced tomatoes (or 4 -15 oz cans)- with juice

6 oz can of tomato paste

4.5 oz can mild green chiles- drained

12 oz can of beer (whatever is cheap!)

1 cup water

5 beef bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (think tobasco)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon white sugar

Shredded cheddar, corn chips, or sour cream to garnish (optional)

Crumble Italian sausage into a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Once you have a little grease in the bottom, add the stew meat.  I like to season mine with a little garlic salt but it's optional.  Brown all the meat, then drain the grease.  Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, green chiles, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, water and bouillon.  Add the seasonings to the pot- garlic, chili powder, Worcestershire, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, paprika, and white sugar.   Stir it all up and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.   After 2 hours, adjust seasonings to your taste.  Enjoy! 

I have found that the longer this cooks, the better it tastes.  I usually let it simmer for much of the day before we eat it.  It freezes and reheats very well.  It looks like a ton of ingredients and it is, but it feeds us quite a few times.  I fed 5 adults and a toddler on Christmas Eve and I have about half the pot left to freeze!