To be Mrs. Marv…

Yes, that is a Simpsons reference.

I get that posting a chili recipe on the Internet and saying it’s really good can get you into deep trouble with folks that have notions about what chili is or is not but that’s what I’m going to do. This recipe is kindly on loan from Mister Jason. It is the best homemade red chili with a nice little mole tweak I’ve ever had and it pretty much knocked out an entire department at a monolithic insurance company. ‘Nuff said. Just try it.

The Merciless Chili of Quetzlzacatenango

It’s coming to getcha!

Ingredient Group 1
canola oil
2.5 lb (40 oz) beef chuck or sirloin tri-tip, ¼” – ½” cubes
¼ lb (4 oz) Pancetta, finely chopped
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beer (lager or brown ale)

Ingredient Group 2
2 whole canned green chiles, finely chopped (Ortega or similar)
2 Poblano chiles , skinned, seeded, and finely chopped
2 Serrano chiles, finely chopped
1 ½ cups black beans (optional)
1 cup beef consommé or stock
1 cup* Mexican-style tomato sauce (El Pato or similar)
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

Ingredient Group 3
1 ½ Tbsp. Ground cumin
10 Tbsp. New Mexico Chili powder (no salt, peppers & spice only)
1 Tsp. coarse black pepper
Salt to taste

Ingredient Group 4
1 tsp. Arbol chili powder
1 Tbsp. Jalapeno powder
1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1 lime, squeezed
6-8** oz. extra bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli is good here, 70% Cocoa)
1 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 cup scallions, chopped

Instructions:
Brown beef in canola oil over high heat. Add pancetta, onion, garlic. Once most of the pancetta’s fat has rendered, lower heat to medium simmer.
Add chicken stock and beer.
Simmer 1 hour.***

Add ingredient group 2.
Continue simmer for another hour.

Add ingredient group 3.
Continue simmer for 45 minutes.

Add all of ingredient group 4 except cilantro and scallions.
Simmer 15 minutes.****

Stir in cilantro and scallions and serve.

Yea! It’s really good chili!

* I double this to get more tomato flavor.
** Too rich for me, I knocked it down to 2-4 oz.
*** I cover the pot pretty compulsively.
**** I don’t seem to get as much moisture out of the meat as Mr. Jason does, so I add in more beer at this point.