December 26, 2022
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup dried pinto beans
1 tbsp cumin seed
4 cups homemade beef stock
2 dried guajillo chiles, de-veined and de-seeded
3 dried pasilla chiles, de-veined and de-seeded
3 dried arbol chiles, de-veined and de-seeded
1-2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh-ground pepper
1 1/2 lb beef roast or beef stew meat, cut of your choice
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh diced oregano
Process
1. The night before, place pinto beans in a bowl of fresh water. Let soak overnight.
2. About 4 hours before dinner time, take the meat out of the fridge, unwrap it and place on a paper towel. Salt it generously. While the meat comes to room temperature, you'll prep other ingredients.
3. Rinse the soaked pinto beans and place in a crockpot with 2 cups beef broth. Turn to high.
4. Add cumin seeds to a medium-hot cast iron skillet and toast until they're fragrant, about 1mn. Transfer seeds to a mortar and pestle, and leave them for now. Break up the chiles after removing the stem, seeds and veins. Add them to the medium-hot skillet. Heat until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2mn. While the chiles are toasting, grind the toasted cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder. Then add them back into the saute pan, with the toasted chiles. Add 1 tbsp kosher salt (less if using iodized salt or if your beef stock is salted), pepper, and 1 cup of beef stock. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and cover with lid. Let steep for 30-40mn. Transfer chiles, seasoning and stock to a blender or Bullet, and pulse until smooth. Transfer the blended sauce to the crockpot. (beans have already been cooking for almost an hour.)
5. After the meat has come to room temperature (about 45mn) cut into bite-size pieces and sear on all sides, in heated olive oil, in the cast iron skillet over med-high heat. Transfer browned meat to the crockpot. Saute the onions in some olive oil in the skillet, and when they're just about soft, add the garlic and oregano. Saute for one more minute then add one cup of beef broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to slow-cooker. After the meat has cooked for one hour, turn temperature down to medium and cook for 2 more hours. If your crockpot doesn't have a medium setting, low is fine...just don't turn it all the way down to "warm."
6. Serve the chili in homemade corn tortillas, with tortilla chips or corn chips, or over rice; quinoa; or another grain. If you like, top with avocado slices and crumbled cotija cheese.
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