Frito Pie Straight from the Bag

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb ground beef
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp masa harina
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1½ cups beef stock
• 6 cups corn chips
• 2 cups grated cheddar
• ½ cup diced raw onion
• ½ cup pickled jalapeños
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Brown the beef hard in a dry heavy pot, breaking it up but letting it sit long enough to crust. Pour off all but a tablespoon of fat.
2. Add the diced onion and cook 6 minutes, then the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika. Toast the spices 1 full minute — this wakes them up and is not optional.
3. Sprinkle in the masa harina, stir 30 seconds, then add the tomato sauce and stock. Simmer 20–25 minutes until thick enough to mound on a spoon.
4. Season aggressively and taste twice. Chili built to sit on corn chips needs more salt than chili eaten alone.
5. Spoon the hot chili over corn chips in bowls, or split a snack-size bag lengthwise and load it directly. Finish with cheddar, raw onion, and jalapeños while everything is still steaming.