Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbs. OO (more as needed)
2 Lg Onions (red or Maui); diced
2 Lg Poblano peppers (stemmed and seeded); diced
5 cloves garlic, minced*
1 tsp. Kosher salt
4-1/2 lb. beef chuck (cubed in 1" pieces)
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 Tbs. New Mexico Chile powder**
1 Tbs. chipotle chile powder**
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
12-oz. bottle of amber ale
1-1/2 qt. beef broth
For the garnish:
2 14-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 md. red onion, chopped
3 md. tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, (fresh) coarsely chopped
Sour cream, creme fraische, whole-milk yogurt
METHOD:
In a 12" skillet, heat 2 Tbs. OO over medium-high heat. Add onions and
sauté until softened, translucent, starting to brown; approx. 8 to 10
minutes. Add poblanos, reduce heat to medium, and cook stirring or
flipping occasionally; approx. 8 to 10 minutes. Add more oil if pan
seems "dry" and add garlic, salt and sauté for another five minutes. Set
aside when done.
Heat remaining OO in a Dutch*** oven or similar pot. Brown meat on two
sides making sure not to over-fill. Remove meat from pot and set aside.
In the same Dutch oven, add onion mix. Also add bay leaves, cinnamon
sticks, clove, chile and cumin powders. Stir constantly to prevent
burning. Spices should "coat" vegetables evenly during this step. Add
beer slowly to allow picking up the crunchies on the bottom of the pot.
Be sure to use a wooden spoon. While adding the beer, make sure the
spices dissolve and sauce thickens. Re-add beef cubes and any extra
juices while resting. Add beef broth. Bring to a simmer and then reduce
to medium-low heat. Simmer for approx. 3-4 hours. At then end, discard
the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.
If not serving immediately, set aside overnight to allow flavors to
really "mix." This will also allow you to skim-and-discard any excess
fat that might coagulate along the top. A crockpot is a great tool for
reheating the chili gently; use the low setting, cap it and let it warm
throughout the day for dinner that night.
* I used crushed garlic with no noticeable difference in textures.
** For greater heat, add another Tbs.
*** I transferred the meal to my Rival 6.0 qt. crockpot after
I browned beef cubes and mixed everything together.