DRUNKEN CHILE WITH HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER

DRUNKEN CHILE WITH HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER image

Categories Soup/Stew Bean Beef Pepper Stew Dinner

Yield Approx. 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 32

Ingredients

For Drunken Chili:
2 pounds stew beef cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 each of [dried] ancho, mulato, pasilla, & New Mexico chiles (or any combo of these 4 available in your area)
1 red bell pepper
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
Water (to rehydrate chiles)
Two 12 ounce bottles beer
Two 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
3-4 heaping tablespoons Homemade Chili Powder (recipe to follow)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 can each of pinto & kidney beans
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup harina de maiz (corn meal)
Additional salt & pepper to taste
For Homemade Chili Powder:
1 [dried] ancho or mulato chile
1 [dried] pasilla chile
3 [dried] New Mexico chile
4 [dried] de arbol chile
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin or toasted cumin seed
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons ground white pepper

Steps:

For the chili: Remove stems & seeds from the chiles. Fill a small pot with enough water to cover the chiles (about 2 cups) & bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add chiles. Cover & leave for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove chiles from pot and place into a blender or food processor. Taste the water the chiles were in & if bitter discard, otherwise add about 1/2 cup of water to blender (if bitter add fresh water). Blend until smooth (about the consistency of tomato sauce). Push the sauce through a mesh strainer into a bowl & set aside. Chop the bell peppers & onion just enough so as to fit in blender. Place into blender along with garlic and "pulse" once or twice. Drizzle oil and teaspoon of salt over beef. In a large pot lightly brown beef over high heat, working in 3 or 4 batches, placing browned beef in large bowl. After beef has browned & been removed, add one 12 ounce beer to pot and deglaze, scraping off all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add remaining ingredients, withholding the beans, cocoa powder, honey, brown sugar, & corn meal. Simmer, covered, 3-4 hours. Rinse beans (optional). Add beans and simmer, covered, an additional hour. Add honey, cocoa, & brown sugar. Slowly stir in corn meal until desired thickness is reached. Salt & pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered 15-30 minutes stiring often. You may serve immediately, but, it's much better after a night of rest in the refrigerator. If it's too thick the next day, just add more beer. Feeds 6-8 hungry people For the chili powder: Remove the stems & seeds from the chiles, & cut into strips. Place on a baking sheet into a 250 degree oven. After about 90 seconds turn the chiles, & bake for another 90 seconds, taking care not to burn. Remove and allow to cool. Place the toasted chiles into a blender, food processor, or spice mill & grind into a powder. Add the remaining ingredients & mix until well blended. Store in an airtight container for 6-8 months.