Chasen's Chili

½ pound dried pinto beans
Water
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup parsley, chopped
½ cup butter
2 pounds beef chuck, coarsely chopped
1 pound pork shoulder, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1½ teaspoons black pepper
1½ teaspoons ground cumin

Rinse the beans, picking out the bad ones.

Place beans in a Dutch oven with water to cover. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cover and let stand one hour.

Rinse beans again in a colander, draining off liquid.  Pour back into Dutch oven.  Add enough fresh water to cover beans. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for one hour or until tender.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Simmer 5 minutes.

Sauté bell pepper in oil in a large frying pan for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and parsley.

Add onions and peppers to bean and tomato mixture.

Melt butter in the same frying pan and add beef and porkchuck.  Cook until cooked, sort of the way taco meat needs to be cooked all the way through. Drain off oil and add to bean/tomato mixture in Dutch oven. 

Season with the chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin.

Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered for one hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes more or to desired consistency. Chili shouldn't be too thick--it should be somewhat liquid but not runny like soup. Skim off excess fat, if there is any, and serve.

Accompany with sour cream/chopped tomatoes/grated cheese/great bread, or tortillas or the way Chasen’s served it, with water crackers.