Best Ancho Beer Chili Recipes

BEEF, BEAN, AND BEER CHILI

Steps:

• Place a pot over high heat. Drizzle in vegetable oil. Add diced onion, ground beef, and salt. Break up meat with wooden spoon into small pieces as it browns. After meat browns and releases its juices, continue stirring until the released liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add garlic, chile powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and cinnamon. Cook and stir until mixture begins to darken, 3 or 4 minutes.
• Stir in beer. Add cocoa powder, oregano, cayenne, water, and tomato puree; stir well. Bring to a simmer; adjust heat to medium-low. Simmer 30 minutes.
• Stir in diced green pepper and pinto beans. If mixture becomes too thick, add a bit more water. Simmer until peppers are tender and flavors have blended, about 30 more minutes.

BEEF CHILI WITH ANCHO, RED BEANS AND CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Toast the ancho chile pieces over low heat in a dry skillet until fragrant, shaking the pan so they don't scorch.
• Put the chiles in a food processor and pulse until they are powder.
• Cut the beef into large and season with salt and pepper.
• Put beef in large soup pot and add enough water to cover by one inch.
• Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
• Mix in onions, garlic, chipotles, and jalapeño.
• Stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, cinnamon, and powdered ancho chilies.
• Pour the entire can of tomatoes into a bowl and crush by hand until chunky.
• Add tomatoes and tomato paste to the pot.
• Simmer for 2 hours.
• As it cooks down you can add more water if necessary (we didn't need to but you may).
• When done, take a wooden spoon and beat chili vigorously so that meat comes apart in shreds.
• (I used two forks like I do with pulled pork).
• Stir in beans and corn meal.
• Cover only partially (so the chili doesn't get watery).
• Simmer for one hour stirring occasionally In the last 5 minutes, stir in the chocolate.
• Before serving, garnish with cheddar.

BEEF CHILI WITH ANCHO, RED BEANS, AND CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Making chili is nothing more than mounting layers of flavor and letting them all simmer together. Get in the habit of tasting recipes in stages; this way if something is not quite right, adjustments can be made on the spot.
• Toast the ancho chile pieces over low heat in a dry skillet until fragrant, shaking the pan so they don't scorch. Put the chilies in a mini food processor and pulse to a powder. This homemade chile powder will add a smoky depth to the chili. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper and then put it in a large soup pot. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 3 quarts, and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Mix in the onions, garlic, chipotles, and jalapeño. Stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and the powdered ancho chilies. Pour the entire can of tomatoes with their liquid into a bowl and hand-crush until chunky; add it to the pot along with the tomato paste. Simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water if necessary. When done, take a wooden spoon and beat the chili vigorously so the meat comes apart in shreds.
• Add the next layer of flavor by stirring in the beans and cornmeal. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot only partially so the steam doesn't get trapped under the lid and drip down into the chili, making it watery. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the grated chocolate. Garnish each serving with the shredded Cheddar cheese and Saltine crackers.

SPICY COWBOY CHILI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb, but do not peel or separate the cloves. Cut off top of garlic bulb, exposing individual cloves. Brush cut cloves with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap in foil. Bake until cloves are soft, 30-35 minutes. Unwrap and cool slightly. Squeeze garlic from skins; mash with a fork., Meanwhile, in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast chilies on both sides until puffy, 3-6 minutes. (Do not blacken.) Cool. Remove stems and seeds; coarsely chop chilies. Place in a small bowl; cover with beer. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes., In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, adding additional oil if needed; transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker. In the skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until tender. Add to beef., Stir in the remaining ingredients, mashed garlic and dried chilies mixture. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 7-9 hours. If desired, serve with cheese and jalapenos.