Want to see how this recipe was developed? See here.
Everyone has their favorite way of making chili. Here’s how we like to make a bowl of big red in our house.
About this recipe
- This chili develops deep flavors by creating a fond, blooming spices, and using whole chiles.
- Quality jarred salsa and tortilla chips act as shortcuts to save time and boost flavor.
- A pressure cooker is recommended for best flavor. To cook in the oven, on a stove top, or in a slow cooker, see notes below.
Total Time: 60 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Level: Intermediate
Ingredients
- 2 dried ancho chiles (or 2 Tbsp ancho chile powder or paprika)
- Vegetable oil
- 3 lbs ground beef chuck (shoulder), coarsely ground
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 (11-12 ounce) bottles of Halal beer (or 3 cups of broth or water)
- 2 (16-ounce) jars of salsa
- 6 handfuls of tortilla chips, crushed by hand
- 2 chipotle pepper canned in adobo sauce
- 2 cans red kidney beans (or black or pinto or a combination, thereof)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce, soy sauce, or Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp hot sauce, or more to taste
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Special equipment
- 6-quart pressure cooker*
- Spice grinder
For garnish (optional)
- Avocado, sliced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Queso Fresco, crumbled
Directions
1. Toast and grind dried chiles. Using scissors, cut the stems off of the ancho chiles, snip them in half, and remove all seeds. Discard the seeds and stem and snip the chiles into 1-inch pieces. Toast the chile pieces into a microwave safe bowl in two 15-second intervals until puffy and very fragrant. Transfer toasted chile pieces to a spice grinder and grind into a powder. Set aside.
2. Brown meat and drain of excess fat. Create a draining rig by placing a colander or large sieve over a heat-proof bowl or empty pot. In a 6-quart pressure cooker, add 2 tsp of vegetable oil and bring over high heat until just smoking. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occassionaly, until just cooked through. Using a large spoon, remove all but a single layer of the beef to the draining rig to drain of excess fat. Lower the heat to medium-high and continue to cook the single layer or beef until deeply browned but not burnt. Remove final layer of beef to draining rig.
3. Bloom spices and deglaze with Halal beer. Add the cumin, oregano, garlic, and tomato paste and cook in the beef fat stirring frequently until just fragrant, about 30 seconds, watching for burning. Immediately deglaze the pot with the Halal beer, stirring the fond at the bottom until dissolved into the liquid.
4. Prepare pressure cooker. Add the salsa, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, ancho chile powder, and tortilla chips. Lock the lid of the pressure cooker and bring to high-pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cook under high pressure for 25 minutes.
5. Finish with beans and final ingredients. Carefully covering the pressure cooker’s release valve with a wooden spoon, transfer the pressure to the sink and run cold water over the lid for 30 seconds until all pressure has been lowered, opening the release valve at the end if necessary. Open the lid of the pressure cooker and return to the stove top. Add the beans, vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with avocados, cilantro, and queso fresco.
*Note: If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can cook this in the oven using a large 6-quart dutch oven. After Step 3, place the chili in a pre-heated 300 degree F oven covered for 2 hours. If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can cook the chili in a large 6-quart stock pot over a simmer uncovered for 1 1/12 to 2 hours until thickened. If using a slow cooker, pre-cook all ingredients in a large pot, then transfer to slow cooker and cook the chili on low heat for four hours or until thickened.
Want to see how this recipe was developed? See here.