Cafe Annie Chili

[Terrie]

Cafe Annie Chili

From the Chili Thread:

This is the best chile I've ever made, bar none. It is the Cafe Annie recipe and worth every bit of effort. Please try it sometime.

• 1 T cumin seeds
  
• 1-1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  
• 1 T dried oregano
  
• 3 T vegetable oil
  
• 3 lb beef chuck, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 5 fresh red jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, chopped
  
• 3 T masa harina
  
• 2 T ground pasilla chile powder (Ancho chiles, toasted and ground)
  
• 2 lbs tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  
• 1 dried chipotle
  
• 1 dried new mexico chile
  
• 12 oz dark beer, such as Negra Modelo
  
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate
  
• 4 c water or chicken/beef stock
  

Toast the cumin and coriander in a small skillet over low heat and grind in a spice grinder.

In a large, heavy-based skillet, Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil until very hot. Brown the meat in the oil in batches (add more oil as needed), being careful not to crowd the pan or the meat will stew in its own juices and not brown. Transfer the browned meat from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Don't clean the skillet after browning the meat.

To the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, jalapenos, masa harina, pasilla powder, the toasted ground cumin and coriander and dried oregano. Stir over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften, 5 to 8 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet; add the tomatoes, whole dried chiles, beer, chocolate and water or stock. Simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Remove the whole chiles before serving.

My notes - I toast and grind the whole dried New Mexican chile and add it with the ancho powder, and use a canned chipotle in adobo instead of the dried (because it's what I have on hand). Makes an outstanding chile.

I hope you try this recipe - it is outsanding!

Keywords: Main Dish, Barbeque, Intermediate, Tex-Mex, Beef, American

( RG229 )