Two-Bean Chili Colorado

We love this recipe from “Pure Beef, An essential guide to Artisan Meat” by Lynne Curry because it has an extra authentic chili flavor from toasted chile peppers. Also because it is very easy and you can use your homemade roasted bone broth or beef stock! Perfect for chilly Idaho spring days!

Ingredients:

1 package dried Ancho Chile Peppers (stemmed and seeded)

1 white onion, peeled

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil

1.5-2 lbs Bruce Ranch Beef stew/kabob meat cut into 1” cubes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste

3 -3.5 cups of low-salt beef stock (you can use your homemade roasted bone broth/beef stock)

1 (12 ounce) bottle dark beer

1/2 cup dried black beans, soaked for 8-12 hours or 1 can (15 ounce) of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup dried pinto beans, soaked for 8-12 hours or 1 can (15 ounce) of pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons masa harina or 2 corn tortillas, torn into bite sized pieces

2-3 ounces of queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat.

Heat a dry medium skillet over medium heat. Open the chiles flat and toast them in the hot skillet on each side 2-3 at a time. Use tongs to press them on the pan’s hot surface about 30 seconds. Work quickly to avoid burning them. Turn and toast the other side. Put the toasted chiles into a bowl, submerge them in boiling water and soak for 20 minutes.

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Now slice the onion in half, chop half and set it aside. Put the other half, cut side down onto the same dry skillet used to toast the chiles and leave it to lightly scorch over medium heat, about 5 minutes. At the same time, put the unpeeled garlic cloves into the skillet and toast until they soften and blacken in spots.

Peel the garlic and transfer it to a blender. Add the scorched onion and the chiles along with 3/4 cup of their soaking liquid. Puree until very smooth and set the chile sauce aside.

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Heat the oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium high heat. Add the reserved chopped onion and cook until it turns translucent. Add the beef, cumin, salt, oregano, allspice and cayenne and cook until the beef is no longer pink and the liquid evaporates. Pour the reserved chile sauce into the pot and simmer the sauce until its red color deepens from brick red to red-brown, about 5 minutes.

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Add the tomato paste, stock, beer and the drained and rinsed black and pinto beans if using dried beans. Partially cover, bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until the beef and beans are tender to the bite, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

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Taste for salt and cayenne and add the masa harina or bite sized corn tortillas. (If using canned beans, add them now.) Continue to simmer uncovered, stirring, until thickened, 10 minutes or so.

Serve the chili in deep bowls topped with the crumbled cheese and cilantro.

Warms the heart and soul!