Chilli

This recipes uses a homemade chilli paste made from whole dried chillies and whole pieces of beef from a cut such as shoulder or brisket. The majority of the cooking is done in a cast iron dutch oven and the 3 hour stint can be done on the hob or in a low-heated oven.

Ingredients

Dried chillis and spices:

• 2 ancho chillis

• 1 sweet pointed red pepper

• 1 chipotle chilli

• 1 guajilli chilli

• 1 cascabel chilli

• 1.5 tablespoons cumin seeds

• 1.5 teaspoons coriander seeds

• 2 cloves

• 1 star anise

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano or italian herbs

Cooked ingredients:

• 1.5 - 2.5kg beef joint (e.g. shoulder, brisket or short-rib)

• 450g dry kidney beans

• 1 large onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 can crushed tomatoes

• 660ml chicken stock

• 1 jalapeno

Chilli paste ingredients:

• 240ml chicken stock

• 2 anchovy fillets

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon marmite

• 1 large onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 can crushed tomatoes

Finishing touches:

• 60ml cider vinegar

• 60ml vodka or bourbon

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Preparing ingredients:

1. Soak the kidney beans in salted water for at least 8 hours, then drain and dry.

2. Generously season the beef joint and allow to come to room temperature.

3. The beef should preferably be seared in the dutch oven to introduce some browned flavour in the bottom of the pot and add some texture to the meat. To maximise the surface area for browning, cut the meat into more manageable chunks. It does not need to be completely cubed at this point, just 2 or 3 large pieces that can individually be seared in the pot and create a fond.

4. Chop the chillis into small pieces and remove all of the seeds. 

5. Toast the chillis in the dutch oven (without any oil) until they are fragrant. They should not start smoking. Remove from pot once toasted.

6. Toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves and star anise in the same pot. Remove when fragrant and thoroughly grind in a pestle and mortar. 

Searing the meat and making the chili paste:

7. Add a small amount of netural oil to the pot and sear the beef pieces individually until they are deeply browned on all sides. Try not to touch them as they are browning; they should lift up easily once sufficiently browned. Once browned, set aside the meat to rest and reserve the rendered beef fat from the pot. 

8. Once all of the meat is resting, let the pot cool down slightly and add the chicken stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release the fond and bring to a simmer. Add the toasted chillis to allow them to soften.

9. Pour this mixture into a food processor or blender. Add the ground spice mix, anchovies, soy sauce, marmite, tomato puree and enough water to allow it to be processed. Blend for about 2 minutes until a smooth paste forms.

10. Chop the seared meat into chunks of desired size.

Cooking the chilli:

11. Add the extracted beef fat back into the pot with a splash of oil and heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic, jalapeno and dried oregano/italian herbs. 

12. Scrape the bottom of the pot and add the chilli paste. Keep scraping and add the remaining chicken stock. Continue cooking until a gentle simmer. 

13. Add the beef chunks back into the pot and add the bay leaves and kidney beans. Add water if necessary until the contents are mostly submerged.

14. Lower the hob heat to minimum or place in a very low-heated oven. Place the lid on the pot slightly ajar and cook for about an hour, until the kidney beans are almost cooked.

15. Add crushed tomatoes and cider vinegar and continue cooking with lid ajar until beef and beans are very tender. This will take abiut 2-3.5 hours, but is fairly forgiving. Keep adding water if the chilli is drying out. 

16. Once the meat is tender and sauce is at desired thickness, remove the bay leaves and add the vodka or bourbon and brown sigar. Season to taste with salt and pepper (the chilli may taste bland until this seasoning is added at the end).