Chili

Based on Kenji’s “Best Short-Rib Chili” from the Food Lab.

Ingredients

• 5 lbs beef short ribs (brisket works really well, too)
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 T fresh oregano
• 1 C chili paste
• ~4 C chicken stock (I really just add until I feel like the chili is getting too thin, then rely on some thickening during the cooking)
• 4 anchovy filets, mashed into a paste (?? t anchovy paste)
• 1 t Marmite
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 T tomato paste
• 2 T cumin seeds, toasted & ground
• 2 t coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 T cornmeal
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb. kidney beans soaked overnight in salted water, then drained and rinsed
• 14 oz. fresh tomato, roasted and run through a food mill
• Alternatively, 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 C cider vinegar
• 1/4 C whiskey, vodka, or brandy (optional)
• 2 T Frank’s RedHot or the like
• 2 T Dark brown sugar

Process

1. Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Add half of the short ribs and brown well on all sides (it may be necessary to brown the ribs in three batches, depending on size of the Dutch oven – do not crowd the pot), 8 to 12 minutes; reduce the heat if the fat begins to smoke excessively or the meat begins to burn. Transfer to a large platter. Repeat with remaining short ribs, browning them in the fat remaining in the Dutch oven.
2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot wit a wooden spoon and then stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chile paste and cook, stirring and scraping constantly, until it leaves a coating on the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the anchovy paste, Marmite, soy sauce, tomato paste, ground spices, cocoa, and cornmeal and whisk to combine. Keep warm over low heat.
3. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 225° F. Remove the meat from the bones and reserve the bones. Chop all the mat into rough 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. Add any accumulated meat juices from the cutting board to the Dutch oven, then add the chopped beef, beef bones, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, transfer the drained beans to a pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Season to taste with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are nearly tender, about 45 minutes, drain.
5. Remove the chili from the oven and add the tomatoes, vinegar, and beans. Return to the oven with the lid slightly ajar and cook until the beans and beef are tender and the stock is rich and slightly thickened, 1.5 to 2 hours longer; add water if necessary to keep the beans and meat mostly submerged.
6. Using tongs, remove the bay leaves and bones. Add the whiskey, if using, hot sauce and brown sugar and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and/or vinegar.