This was the cover recipe from October’s issue of Bon Apetit magazine. I figured if it made it on the cover then this chili recipe had to be good. This no-bean chili is the real deal. It’s spicy, hearty, rustic and makes your whole house smell yummy for an entire week. Here is the recipe straight from BA:
- 6 large dried ancho chiles* (about 3 ounces), stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn
- 6 oz bacon, diced
- 1 1/4 pounds onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1 5-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes
- Coarse kosher salt
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 1/2 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 3/4 cups)
- 1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer
- 1 7-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
- 4 cups 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash (from 3 1/2-pound squash)
Garnishes:
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Chopped red onion
- Diced avocado
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Warm corn and/or flour tortillas
Preparation:
-
Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.
-
Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.
-
Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
Garnishes:
-
Set out garnishes in separate dishes. Rewarm chili over low heat. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.
-
*Available at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets
Entries (RSS)
October 16th, 2008 at 3:30 am
Im guessing that they didn’t say which Mexican beer to use? There are a couple and the all taste quite different. If it were me i would say it would be a dark beer as it has a earthy taste rather than adding a beer that you have to add a lemon to.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Hi Chili Recipes, I used Tecate for my recipe. Let me know what you use.