Ingredients
- Table salt
- 1/2 pound dried pinto beans (about 1 cup), rinsed and picked over
- 6 dried ancho chiles (about 1 3/4 ounces), stems and seeds removed, and flesh torn into 1- inch pieces
- 2-4 dried arbol chiles, stems removed, pods split, seeds removed
- 3 Tbsp cornmeal
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 medium onions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 3 small jalapeno chiles, stems and seeds removed and discarded, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 tsp)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp light molasses
- 3 1/2 pounds blade steak, 3/4 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 3/4-inch pieces or 4 pound chuck eye roast
- 1 (12 ounce) bottle mild lager
Preparation
Step 1
1) combine 3 Tbsp salt, 4 quarts water and beans in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse well.
2) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place ancho chiles in 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat, toast, stirring frequently, until flesh is fragrant, 4-6 minutes, reducing heat if chiles begin to smoke. Transfer to bowl of a food processor and cool. Do not wash out skillet.
3) Add arbol chiles, cornmeal, oregano, cumin, cocoa and 1/2 tsp salt to food processor with toasted ancho chiles; process until finely ground, about 2 minutes. With processor running, very slowly add 1/2 cup broth until smooth paste forms, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer paste to a small bowl. Place onions in now-empty processor bowl and pulse until roughly chopped, about four 1-second pulses. Add jalapenos and pulse until consistency of chunky salsa, about four 1-second pulses, scraping down bowl as necessary.
4) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion mixture and cook; stirring occasionally, until moisture has evaporated and vegetables are softened, 7-9 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chile paste, tomatoes and molasses; stir until chile paste is thoroughly combined. Add remaining 2 cups broth and drained beans; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
5) Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Add half of beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer meat to Dutch oven. Add half bottle of lager to skillet,scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, and bring to a simmer. transfer lager to Dutch oven. repeat with remaining Tbsp oil, steak and lager. Once last addition of lager has been added to Dutch oven, stir to combine and return mixture to simmer.
6) Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat and beans are fully tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let chili stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir well and season to taste with salt before serving.