Last winter I made a double beef chili recipe that was inspired by something I saw on the cover of October 2008 Bon Appetit, a Texas brisket chili. I still remember how hearty that chili was, but I wanted to try the original version this time. The chunks of brisket really fall apart, and the dried peppers give it a smoky flavor.
Recipe from Bon Appetit, via Epicurious.
Ingredients: 6 large dried ancho chiles, 6 ounces bacon, 2 large onions, 5-pound beef brisket, kosher salt, 6 large garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (I substituted regular diced tomatoes, after reading the reviews on Epicurious, to keep it from being too spicy), 12-ounce bottle lager beer, 1 7-ounce can diced roasted green chiles (I removed this to keep it from being too spicy), 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems, 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds).
Half an hour before starting the chili, rehydrate the dried peppers.
Submerge the peppers in boiling water, pushing them down below the surface. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
While the peppers are soaking, you can do the rest of the prep work. Cut the brisket into bite-size pieces, and chop the bacon.
Mince the garlic and chop the onion.
Peel the butternut squash, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into bite-size pieces.
Put the peppers in the blender, along with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, oregano, chili powder, coriander and cumin. Add one cup of the pepper soaking liquid.
Puree until smooth. If it’s too thick to blend, add about 1/4 cup more of the soaking liquid (or just plain water if you’re worried about it being too spicy).
Saute the bacon for 5 minutes until the fat starts to render, then add the onion and garlic and continue to cook over medium for about 5-7 minutes more.
Put the brisket pieces on top of the sauteed onions and bacon, then cover with the pepper sauce.
Add the beer and the can of tomatoes (along with the tomato juice), then stir to combine. This is also when you would add the chopped green chiles and the cilantro stems, if you were using them per the original recipe.
Cover the pot with foil or an oven-safe lid, and cook for 2 hours at 325 degrees. The original recipe has you cut the brisket into much larger pieces, so they recommend cooking for an additional hour after this, but you can test the brisket with a fork. It should be cooked through and tender. I found that it only needed another 30 minutes (for a total of 2.5 hours). After the chili has cooked 2.5- 3 hours, and the brisket is tender, add the butternut squash pieces and cook uncovered in the oven for another 45 minutes. As you can see in the picture, I couldn’t help but sneak in some black-eyed peas the farmer sent in our CSA, that I had to use up.
When the chili is done, the brisket meat should almost fall apart when you ply it with a fork, and the squash will be tender but not too mushy. Serve with sour cream and grated sharp cheddar or jack cheese, and with cilantro leaves if you like.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009
Meat