Eastern Establishment Chili
Submitted by ijedi1
Slow-simmered brisket chili with dried kidney beans, three kinds of chile peppers, masa harina, and brewed coffee. Bold, beefy, and deeply spiced.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
8 hrsCOOK
5 hrsREADY
13 hrsThis is not a quick-fix weeknight chili. It’s a full-day project that simmers cubed beef brisket for over three hours with dried kidney beans, a triple-chile spice blend, and a half cup of brewed coffee stirred in during the final stretch.
Brisket is the move here. It has more fat and connective tissue than ground beef, and all of it breaks down over the long simmer into something rich and silky. Cut the cubes to about half an inch so they hold their shape but still get fork-tender by the time the pot is done.
The masa harina (corn flour) goes in early with the spices and cooks for a couple minutes before the liquid hits the pot. It thickens the chili from the inside out, giving it that velvety body you get from competition-style chili. No cornstarch slurry at the end, no gummy texture.
That brewed coffee added in the last hour? It deepens the roasted flavor of the chiles and adds a bitter edge that balances all the fat from the brisket. You won’t taste coffee. You’ll just wonder why this chili has more depth than usual.
Pro Tips
- Soak the beans overnight and cook them separately before adding to the chili. Dried beans added raw will never soften properly in the acidic tomato liquid.
- Brown the brisket in batches and pat it dry first. Wet meat steams instead of searing.
- The chili simmers uncovered for most of the cook time. This is intentional. It concentrates the flavors as liquid evaporates. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.
- Taste and adjust after adding salt. The three chile varieties bring different heat levels, and batches vary.
Variations
- Swap kidney beans for pinto beans or black beans for a different texture.
- Use beef chuck instead of brisket for a slightly leaner version.
- Add a square of dark chocolate with the coffee for a mole-style undertone.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the beans in a bowl, cover with water and soak overnight.
Pour the beans and the water in which they were soaked into a heavy saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour or until tender.
Stir occasionally.
Heat the oil or melt the lard in a large heavy casserole dish over medium heat.
Pat the brisket dry and add it to the casserole dish.
Stir the beef until it is quite brown on all sides.
Remove it from the casserole dish and set aside.
Add more oil or lard to the casserole dish if needed, then add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent.
Stir in the green peppers, basil, bay leaf, ground chile, cayenne pepper, caribe, and cumin.
Cook for about 1 minute, then add the corn flour (masa harina) and cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.
Return the brisket to the casserole dish and add the tomatoes and their liquid.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.
Stir occasionally.
Stir in the salt and black pepper.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Add the coffee and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour longer.
Add the kidney beans to the chili.
Simmer, uncovered, for another ½ hour.
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