World's Best Chili

Ingredients

• 2 ounce New Mexico mild chiles (dried)
• 1 ounce chipotle chiles (dried)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon oregano (dried)
• 1 tablespoon cumin (ground)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• ¾ cup beef broth (low sodium)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds chuck short ribs (deboned; cut into cubes)
• 1 small red onion (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ½ habenero (seeded and chopped)
• ½ jalapeno (seeded and chopped)
• 12 ounce light beer (I used Corona)
• 14 ounce fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 28 ounce red kidney beans (rinsed and drained (1 big can))
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 3 ¼ cups beef broth (low sodium)
• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut open the dried chilies bag and remove the seeds. Cut the chilies into ½" pieces. In a large, dry skillet, toast the chilies over medium-high heat just until barely smoking. Remove the chiles from the heat.

2. 2

   Transfer the toasted chilis to a food processor. Blend on high until a fine powder forms will take anyway from 3 to 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the cornmeal, oregano, cumin, cocoa powder, and pulse while slowly adding ¾ cup of the beef broth until it turns into a paste. Scrape into a separate bowl and set aside.

4. 4

   Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe pot such as a Dutch oven, over medium high heat. Add the beef and brown it, will take about 7 to 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the red onion, garlic, habanero, jalapeno pepper and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, just until the onion softens a bit. Deglaze the pot with the beer then add the fire roasted tomatoes, sugar, kidney beans, spice paste, and the remaining beef broth. Stir well to combine then bring to a boil.

6. 6

   Preheat your oven to 375℉.

7. 7

   Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and place in the preheated oven. Cook for about 2½ hours stirring after every hour.

8. 8

   Serve garnished with Monterey Jack cheese.