Lansing Fire Chili

Trim fat from meat. In a 6-quart Dutch oven, combine meat, water and bouillon. Roast, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 2 -1/2 to 3 hours or till the meat is very tender. Remove meat from Dutch oven; let stand for 30 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in pan.

In the Dutch oven, combine the reserved 1/4 cup beef drippings, the undrained tomatoes, onion, green and red sweet peppers, jalapeno, hot chili powder, garlic and cumin. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, shred meat using two forks to gently separate the meat into long thin strands; cover and chill till needed. In a medium skillet cook the sausage till no pink remains; drain off fat. Cover and chill till needed.

Add chocolate bar to tomato mixture, stirring till melted. Add beef, sausage and corn. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add undrained chili beans. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes more, stirring often. If you like, slowly add masa harina to the chili mixture, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand for 15 minutes (this allows chili to thicken slightly).

Serve with shredded cheese and corn chips, if you like. Makes 10 servings.

Because hot chili peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands and fingernails well with soap and water when you are done.