Best Beef Chili

Source: Serious Eat's Food Lab

Ingredients

• 1 whole Ancho chilies, seeded, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
• 2 whole Gajillo seeded, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
• 1 whole Chipotle chili, seeded, and torn in half

• 1 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of silverskin and excess fat
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth, divided into 1 cup and 3 cups
• 2 whole anchovy filets or 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted, then ground
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds, toasted, then ground
• 2 whole cloves, toasted and ground
• 1 star anise, toasted and ground
• 1 tablespoon extra-finely ground coffee beans
• 1 Tbsp dutch process cocoa powder or 1 ounce chopped unsweetened chocolate

• 1 large yellow onion, diced fine (about 1.5 cups)
• 3 fresh Thai bird chiles or 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup vodka or bourbon
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp of masa corn flour

Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium high heat, add the seeded and torn 1 ancho chili, 2 gajillo, and 1 chipotle chili. Cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened with an intense, toasted aroma. Remove and reserve in a small bowl.
2. Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat the dutch oven over medium high heat, add a Tbsp of oil and sear all sides (8-12 minutes total). Transfer to a large cutting board and rest. Pour the rendered beef fat into a small bowl and reserve.
3. Return the dutch oven to the stove over medium heat and deglaze with 1 C chicken broth, scrapping up all the browned bits. Reduce heat until a bare simmer and add in the toasted chiles to the liquid. Cook until the chiles have softened and the liquid has been reduced by half, 5-8 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl add 1.5 tsp whole cumin seeds, 1.5 tsp whole coriander seeds, 2 whole cloves, 1 star anise and microwave in 10 second intervals until they smell fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind until smooth.
5. Transfer the chiles and broth to a blender and add 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, the ground spices, 1 Tbsp of dutch process cocoa powder. Blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
6. Chop the beef into 1/4 - 1/2" pieces and add any juices into the blender.
7. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
8. Heat 4 Tbsp of beef fat (add oil to reach the 4Tbsp if necessary) over medium heat and add in the onions, cooking until softened, 6-8 minutes. 
9. Add in the diced Jalapeno, 1 Tbsp dried oregano, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
10. Add in the chile puree and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan until the chile mixture begins to fry and leaves a coating on the bottom.
11. Add the 3 C of chicken broth, chopped beef, and 2 bay leaves, scrapping bottom of the pan. Add in the 2 cans of tomatoes and 1/4 C of cider vinegar and cook in the oven with lid slightly ajar for 2-3.5 hours.
12. 30 minutes before finishing, add in the beans.
13. Finish with 1/4 C of bourbon and 2 tsp of dark brown sugar. Thicken with 2 Tbsp of masa if necessary.

Notes:

This was extremely good. I ran out of chicken stock and had to use 3 C of water + better than bouillon. I also used fish sauce and worcestershire sauce instead of anchovies and marmite. Substituted chuck for short rib and dutch process cocoa powder for chocolate bar. We loved it, best chili we've ever tasted. I accidentally opened 2 cans of black beans instead of kidney, that was fine, still very tasty.