Looking to make some Chili for the big game on Sunday? This could be your ticket. I made this for a snowy weekend watching football playoffs and it definitely hit the spot. I served it with jalapeno cheddar cornbread and beer, of course.
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| Hot Chili on a Cold Snowy Day |
While I really enjoyed this chili, I personally prefer a chili with beans. Go ahead and add beans to this recipe, but then you won’t be able to call it “Texas
Martha’s recipe calls for toasting dried chiles, then rehydrating them to blend and add to the chili. It seems like a lot of work but it definitely adds a nice depth of flavor you won’t get from using chili powder.
Makes about 8 cups; Serves 6 to 8
From Martha Stewart Living, October 2009
The dried chiles, oregano and cumin can be replaced with ½ cup chili powder. Skip step 1, add powder to onion mixture, and cook for 1 minute.
8 whole dried chiles (5 ancho and 3 guajillo or all ancho; about 3 ounces)
3 tablespoons safflower oil, plus more as needed (I used vegetable)
3 pounds trimmed beef chuck, cut into small pieces (1/2 inch or smaller)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large onions, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
7 to 8 garlic cloves, minced (5 tablespoons)
2 jalapeno or Serrano chiles, seeded if desired, minced
2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground oregano
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes, pureed with their juice (3 ½ cups)
4 cups water, plus more if needed and for soaking
2 to 3 teaspoons white vinegar, to taste
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| The ingredients |
Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and blistered, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
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| Toasting the chiles |
Remove stem and seeds; discard. Transfer chiles to a large measuring cup or bowl, and cover with hot water. Keep chiles submerged with a small bowl, and let soak for 30 minutes. Remove from water, and puree in a blender with 1/2 cup soaking liquid. (I saved the rest of the soaking liquid to add to the chili in Step 4)
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| The pureed chiles. Such a beautiful color! |
Heat a large heavy pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Season beef with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brown beef in batches, adding more oil as needed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
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| Browning the Beef |
Add remaining tablespoon oil, the onions, garlic, and minced chiles to pot, and cook over medium-high heat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the pan gets too dark, add a little water, and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze.) Add cumin and oregano, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Stir in browned beef and chile puree. Add tomato puree, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is very tender and juices are thick, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Check pot once an hour for excessive evaporation; if chili seems dry, add a little water.) Season chili with salt, and stir in vinegar. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months; reheat in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally).
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| Texas Red Chili |
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