I tried my hand at a chili con carne for the first time and it came out rather well. If you’ve ever had Chipotle’s shredded beef anything then you’ll like this recipe. You can serve this with corn tortillas topped with pinto beans, cheese, and avocado or eat it with crackers, tortilla chips or cornbread. FYI, I found all of my spices in the plain old supermarket.
- 3 TBS ancho chili powder
- 3 TBS New Mexico chili powder
- 2 TBS cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes, and ground
- 2 tsp Mexican dried oregano
- 7 1/2 cups water
- 4 pounds of beef brisket, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8-10 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 5 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 4 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and minced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- juice from one lime
- 3 TBS cornstarch
- salt and fresh ground pepper
1. Mix the chili powders, cumin and oregano in a small bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the water to form a thick paste and set aside. Toss the beef cubes in salt (kosher salt, if you have it).
2. Fry the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove the bacon and set aside. Pour all but 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat into a small bowl and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high; saute the meat in 4 batches until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding 2 teaspoons additional bacon fat to the pot as necessary. Set the browned meat aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the now empty pan. Add the onion and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno chilies and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chili mixture and saute until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved bacon and browned beef, the crushed tomatoes, lime juice and remaining 7 cups of water. Bring to a simmer until the meat is tender and the juices are dark, rich and starting to thicken, about 2 hours.
4. Mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to form a paste. Increase the heat to medium and stir in the paste, and simmer until thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjusts the seasonings with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly and serve or cover and refrigerate overnight to intensify the flavors.
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