Texas Beef Chili

Ingredients

Chili Paste Starter:

3 tablespoons EACH: ancho chili powder AND cornmeal

1 tablespoon EACH: chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, cocoa powder AND smoked paprika

2 teaspoon EACH: ground coriander AND Mexican oregano

Texas Chili:

3 ½ -4 pounds stew meat (or chuck roast cut into 1 - 1¼ inch chunks)

2 tablespoons EACH: oil AND Worcestershire sauce

1 large onion, diced

2 poblano peppers, diced (or bell peppers)

1-5 jalapeños, minced

8-12 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

4 cups beef broth*

1 (14-ounce can) tomato sauce

2 (14-ounce) cans rinsed/drained pinto beans (OPTIONAL)

Recipe

1. PASTE: Combine the ingredients for the paste in a small bowl and slowly stir in 1/2 cup of hot water. Mix and set this aside for now.

2. SEAR THE MEAT: Season the meat with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a large chili pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot and add a few pieces of meat at a time. Sear the meat on all sides, about 2-3 minutes and remove it to a plate. Repeat the process until all the meat is seared. You may need a little more oil than what's listed just depends on how well marbled the meat is.

3. CHILI: If you need it, add another drizzle of oil to the pan along with the chopped onions and the poblanos. Use a wooden spoon to help scrape any brown bits left behind by the meat and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and jalapeños and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the prepared chili paste to the pot and stir it in so that it coats everything nicely. Allow the paste to cook for 1 minute before adding the brown sugar, Worcestershire, beef broth, tomato sauce, 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Use the wooden spoon to scrape the bottom so that none of the chili paste is sticking.

4. COOK: Add the seared meat and allow the chili to come to a boil before lowering the heat to low and allowing it to cook for 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours. Set aside 1 cup of water and add in a ¼ cup every time you stir the chili if it's thickened. Stir the chili every 30-45 minutes to make sure it's not sticking. You may not need all of the water if you're going bean-free, with beans you generally need a little more. I like to add the beans around the 2-hour mark so that they have a chance to cook for at least half an hour before serving. Serve topped with all your favorite chili toppings!