Chili Con Carne via The Parsley Thief
I was given my first French oven {a.k.a. a Dutch oven, or an enameled cast iron pot} about 10 years ago, by my mother-in-law. For years now, a smaller version has been on my wish list...something more practically suited for a family of four & everyday cooking. So, when I recently won a gift certificate to a cooking store, I finally took the plunge & bought myself one!
It's been sitting on my stove for a week now...bringing a smile to my face every time I look at it. I christened the pot with a lovely, Sunday roast chicken. Next up, I wanted to make some kind of stew, pot roast, or chili suitable for the cold, winter days we've been having. This Chili Con Carne recipe is what I decided on. Personally, I am more of a ground beef & bean chili kind of girl. My kids, however, won't touch anything containing beans with a ten foot pole. My DH likes any kind of chili...but, every time I've made it with beef chuck, versus ground beef, he's seemed particularly happy. So, here it is...a spicy {but, not too spicy}, beef chuck chili...with no beans {a.k.a. a Texas style chili}.
Chili Con Carne
Adapted from Bon Appétit, February 2011
Serves 8
Ground ancho chiles can be found at Whole Foods in a bag, versus selling out the big bucks for spice jars...or, look for it in Latin American grocery stores, along with the masa harina.
vegetable oil
4 pounds cubed boneless beef chuck
2 onions, chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled & chopped
1/4-1/2 cup dried ancho chiles {adjust to your heat preference}
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 {12 ounce} bottle of dark beer
1 {28 ounce} can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons masa harina
optional garnishes: diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded jack cheese & sour cream
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add a third of the beef {depending on the size of your pot}, sprinkle it with some kosher salt & cook until browned on all sides. Work in batches, until all the beef is browned. Transfer to a plate & set aside.
In the same pot, add another tablespoon of oil & stir in the onions. Saute for 8-10 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic & cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the ground ancho chiles, cumin, allspice, cinnamon & cloves. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the beer & stir for 1 minute, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Return the beef, along with any accumulated juices, to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, oregano & salt. Stir to combine & bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot & cook for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Remove the pot from the heat & let it sit at room temperature for one hour. Transfer the pot to the refrigerator, cover & chill overnight.
The next day, skim the fat from the chili. Bring back to a boil, adding in some water if it has thickened too much. Stir in the tomato paste & masa harina. Simmer, uncovered, for about a half hour, or until heated through & the beef is very tender.
Serve garnished with your favorite chili toppings.
[Photography courtesy of The Parsley Thief]
Recipe, comfort food
Reader Comments (3)
Where do you purchase fire roasted tomatoes?
Thank you in advance.
J
J-
I generally have no problem finding them at any store, as they are very popular at the moment! Whole Foods has them. But, I've also found them at Stop & Shop, or ShopRite. My faves are the Muir Glen ones! But, in a pinch, many companies make them now...Hunts, for example.
They'll be in the tomato sauce aisle, but if you don't see them, look in the Latin American section, or the Natural Food aisles too.
Grazie!