Chili

Brown the beef

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the beef and press it flat. Leave it alone for 4 to 5 minutes, until the underside is deeply browned, then break it up and cook until no pink remains and an instant read thermometer in the thickest clump reads 160F (71C). Ground beef is safe at 160F (71C).

Cook the onion and garlic

Add the onion to the pot with the beef and its fat. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the edges are golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.

Bloom the spices

Lower the heat to medium. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 60 to 90 seconds. The mixture will darken and smell toasted. Do not let it scorch, because burnt chili powder turns bitter.

Add the tomatoes and simmer

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the stock, scraping the bottom of the pot clean. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook uncovered for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.

Stir in the beans

Add both cans of beans and simmer 15 minutes more, uncovered. The chili is ready when a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a track that fills in slowly and the fat has risen in orange pools at the surface.

Taste and adjust

Season with more salt until the flavors sharpen. Add a splash of stock if the pot has gone past thick into stiff.

The flavor improves overnight. Cool, refrigerate up to 4 days, and reheat gently over low heat with a little water to loosen it.