I’ve gotten to thinking that Superbowl Sunday is also “official chili making day”. There seem to be a lot of Chili Cook-offs on Superbowl Sunday and per people who poll these sorts of things, it is in the top 4 or 5 “Superbowl Foods”. It makes for flexible meal times, eat when you like and can feed a crowd. This particular version uses boneless beef shortribs and after the 3+ hour braise, is melt-in-your mouth tender. It you are in to chili variations, this is definitely one to try!
Ingredients
8-10 whole dried California or New Mexico chilis, seeded and torn into pieces
4 whole dried ancho chilis, stemmed, seeded and torn into pieces
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon baking soda
5-6 lbs boneless beef short ribs
4 cups chicken stock, divided
6 oz tomato Paste
2 adobo chipotle peppers with 1 tablespoon of sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon finely ground instant espresso powder
1 1/2 oz coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and chopped
6 large garlic cloves, whole
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
To garnish, as desired
Lime wedges
Coarsely chopped cilantro
Chopped red onion
chopped avocado
shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
Sliced jalapeños
Sour cream
Directions
Heat oven to 325F. Position rack to the lower-middle level.
Place dried chilis in a large dry dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir frequently until they have darkened in color with a strong, roasted aroma, around 4-5 minutes. Watch closely so they do not smoke. Remove the chilies from the dutch oven and set aside.
Mix salt, pepper and baking soda together in a small bowl. Season generously the beef short ribs with the mixture. Increase the heat to high and add the veggie oil to the Dutch Oven. Cook the short ribs in batches, browning them on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside, continuing until all the short ribs are browned, 5-6 minutes per batch. Make sure not to add too many to the pan at one time. You want to have space between the pieces of meat while they are browning. Once all are done, transfer the remaining meat fat from the pan to a bowl and set aside for later use.
Return the heat to medium-high and add one cup of chicken stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove all bits of meat. Reduce heat to low and add the toasted pieces of chilies to the stock. Simmer until chilies have softened and the liquid is reduced by 1/2, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer the liquid, chilis, adobe chipotle peppers and sauce, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, tomato paste, espresso powder, and chocolate to a blender or a food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth, scraping the sides frequently.
Add the reserved meat fat left over from frying the short ribs back into the Dutch oven. Add more oil if needed for 2 tablespoons in the pan. Return the heat to medium-high, add the onions and jalapeños. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring frequently for about 8 minutes. Add garlic and oregano. Stir for about 1 minute. Add the remainder of the chicken broth along with the chili puree, crushed tomatoes, and juices from the meat. Add the beef short ribs to the pot and bring it to a gentle boil.
Once the pot has come to a simmer, place on lid and move the chili to the oven. Let simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the meat falls off the bone. Let the pot cool on the stove (off) for the next few steps. Pull out the short ribs with tongs and set on a cutting board. Remove the garlic cloves and discard. Tilt the pot and spoon off any grease.
Using two forks, shred the short ribs to large-ish chucks. This should happen very easily. Also, if you come across some chunks on fat in the short ribs, you can discard those. Add the meat back to the pot. Add the kidney and black beans. Bring the chili back up to a simmer briefly. Serve and garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, avocado, cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeños and chopped red onion, as desired.