There is something about Chili that is just so good. And it’s one of the soups that I think originated in America from a mass-up of a whole lot of cuisines.
The origins of chili are unclear. Lots of vague stories about it being invented here or there or somewhere in the southwest. No matter what the origins, though, it was invented because it was what people had on hand and what was in the region. Chilis and chili powder aren’t all from the American Southwest, but the ones in chili are. And the floor of that terroir permeates the liquid concoction.
Chili is more a stew than a soup. Still, people eat it with saltine crackers. Me? I like mine with cornbread. A while back, I used to be able to get a smoked ground corn. It made the BEST smoked cornbread. Alas, I can’t find them anymore. So, I still to normal cornbread. But I still put cheese and onions on top to give it some kick and bite. As if it didn’t have enough with heat with the spices already in there.
All Beef Chili
- 7 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 4 pounds bottom round beef, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- One 12-ounce bottle dark beer, Mexican if you can find it
- 1 large red onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon seeded and chopped habanero
- 1 Thai bird chile, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 poblano, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon cascabel chile powder
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
- 1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder
- 1 teaspoon New Mexican chile powder
- One 16-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and pureed
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped semisweet chocolate2 tablespoons maple syrup, or more as needed
- 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
Toasted Cumin Crema:
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds, freshly toasted and cooled
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch-style oven over high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and add one-third of the meat to the pan and saute until browned on all sides. Repeat with the oil and meat, draining any excess liquid from the pan between the batches. Keep the oil in reserve for later. Return the meat to the pan, sprinkle with the cumin and stir well. Deglaze the pan with the beer and bring to a boil. Be careful because beer can foam when added to a hot pot. Cook until the beer is almost completely reduced. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan on medium heat and then add the onions and garlic and cook until onions soften. Add the habanero, Thai bird, jalapeno and poblano peppers and cook about 5 minutes. Add the ancho chile pepper, cascabel chile powder, chipotle pepper puree, pasilla chile powder and New Mexican chile powde. Cook 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Puree with an immersion blender. Add the beef back to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the chili is thick and the beef is tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. If the chili has too much liquid, continue to cook uncovered to thicken, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, add in the chocolate and maple syrup and stir until the chocolate is melted and combined and adjust seasonings.
- Place the cumin in a small saute pan over medium heat. Toast until lightly golden brown. Place in a small bowl. Let it cool completely. Stir in the crema and season with salt and pepper. Place in a squeeze bottle for serving.
- Serve Chili with toasted cumin, cheddar cheese, onions, and anything else that hits your fancy. I add more heat with hot sauce. And cool it down with cornbread.
