Chili con Carne with Beans

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

3 ounces dried ancho chile peppers (about 7 peppers)
1 ounce dried cascabel chile peppers (about 3 peppers)
3 tablespoons finely ground cornmeal
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cumin seeds,
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 cups store-bought canned chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
3 pounds chuck steak (trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes)
1 large (10 oz) red onion (chopped)
4 large garlic cloves (minced)
2 jalapeños (seeded and finely chopped)
1 habanero pepper (seeded and finely chopped (optional) )
1 bottle (12 ounces) Mexican lager
6 medium (1 1/4 lbs) plum tomatoes (cored and chopped)
One (12-ounce) can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shredded Cheddar cheese (for serving (optional))
Optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro (sliced scallions, corn kernels, sliced jalapeños, corn chips, and sour cream)

Prep Time40mins
Cook Time170mins
Servings8

Instructions

In a dry skillet over medium to medium-low heat, toast the ancho and cascabel chiles until fragrant and barely smoking, about 2 minutes. Place on a plate and let cool slightly.

Dump the cooled chiles into a food processor and process until they're ground to a fine powder, about 3 minutes. Add the cornmeal, cocoa powder, cumin, and oregano, and pulse to combine. Add 3/4 cup of the stock and process until a paste forms.

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until it's shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the beef and sear, turning as necessary, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place the meat in a bowl.

Add the onion, garlic, jalapeños, and habanero, if using, to the pot and stir to coat with the drippings. Cover and cook for about 1 minute.

Pour in the beer and cook, stirring and scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes, beans, and brown sugar, and return the beef to the pan. Add the chile paste and the remaining 3 1/4 cups stock and stir until combined.

Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the chili has thickened, about 3 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. TESTER TIP: If you prefer a more stick-to-your-ribs consistency to your chili, leave the lid off the pot for most of the 3 hours.

Ladle into bowls and let each person add cheese and any other garnishes as desired.