Championship Chili
Three pounds of beef chuck simmered for nearly 3 hours with cumin, oregano, jalapeño, and tomato concassé, thickened with a masa harina slurry. No beans, no shortcuts. This is cookoff-caliber chili built on patience and bold spice.
YIELD
1 potPREP
25 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
3 hrsIf you’ve ever wondered what separates backyard chili from the stuff that wins trophies, the answer is time.
Three pounds of beef chuck brown up with cumin seeds and oregano, then simmer low for nearly three hours in a bath of tomato concassé, minced jalapeño, and a quarter cup of garlic that would scare most recipes.
A slurry of instant masa harina stirs in at the end, giving the broth that thick, velvety body that coats the back of a spoon.
No beans. No filler. Just meat, chiles, and time doing what they do best.
Top with grated cheddar and minced scallions, and serve it steaming hot.
Kitchen Tips
- Tomato concassé is just fresh tomatoes that have been blanched, peeled, seeded, and chopped. If you can’t find it, use canned whole tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand.
- Stir often during that long simmer. The bottom will stick and scorch if you walk away.
- The masa harina slurry thickens fast. Mix it with water separately before adding so it doesn’t clump.
- This chili is even better the next day. Make it ahead and reheat for deeper, more developed flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
HEAT OIL IN A DUTCH OVEN, OVER A MEDIUM FLAME ADD ONIONS, HEAT AND STIR FOR 2 MINUTES.
ADD GARLIC AND MINCED CHILES, HEAT AND STIR FOR 4 to 5 MINUTES ADD GROUND BEEF, CUMIN, AND OREGANO HEAT AND STIR TO BROWN BEEF. ADD CHILE POWDER, TOMATO CONCASSE, AND WATER BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE HEAT, AND SIMMER FOR 2½ TO 3 HOURS, STIRRING OFTEN COMBINE INSTANT MASA AND 2 TABLESPOONS WATER-MIX WELL ADD TO CHILI MIXTURE, HEAT AND STIR UNTIL THICKENED SLIGHTLY REMOVE FROM HEAT GARNISH WITH GRATED CHEESE AND MINCED SCALLIONS SERVE HOT
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