Recipe Slow cooked chunky chilli con carné

Morning Glory

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This is probably the best chilli I ever made. I think in the past I was guilty of treating chilli as an easy meal to throw together using minced beef, a tomato sauce and chilli powder. Here I used chunks of beef shin marinated in a chocolate stout. When I first started cooking this and taste testing I thought I’d made a big mistake because the chocolate taste was overpowering. However, after 3 hours of slow cooking that all changed and the favour of chocolate was subtle and the wonderful smoky taste of the dry roasted chillies came to the fore.

If you can’t get chocolate stout, substitute Guinness and add a few squares of good quality 70% plus chocolate to the sauce at the beginning of cooking. I used a slow cooker but this dish could be cooked in a low oven or on the hob.

82142


Ingredients (serves 2 to 3)
1 dried aji amarillo chilli
1 dried aji limon chill
1 dried boriya chilli
2 fat cloves of garlic, grated
330ml chocolate stout
1 heaped tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 heaped tsp dried epazote
500g beef shin, cut into chunks
2 Romano peppers
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp tomato purée
Ground chilli or chopped fresh chillies (optional, to taste)
150g (drained weight) canned beans (I used borlotti and pinto)
Salt, to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method
  1. Place a frying pan on a high heat. Add the whole dried chillis and toast for a minute or so. Grind the toasted chillies to a powder.
  2. Pour the stout into a bowl, add the ground chillies, herbs and garlic and mix together. Add the beef chunks. Cover and marinate for 12 -24 hours.
  3. Whilst the beef is marinating, prepare the peppers. Place the peppers under a hot grill (broiler) and cook, turning once until the skins are charred and the peppers ‘floppy’. Place the peppers in a covered bowl or in a storage box and allow to cool.
  4. Remove the skins from the peppers. They should come away quite easily but leaving a few charred bits will add flavour. Remove the seeds and cut the peppers into strips. Set aside.
  5. When you are ready to cook the chilli, heat the oil in frying pan and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion softens and add the flour, stirring well. Cook over a gentle heat for a minute. Add a small amount of the marinating liquid and stir well to ensure there are no lumps.
  6. Tip the beef and its marinade, plus the onion mixture into a slow cooker (crock pot). Stir well and cook on a low heat for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is tender.
  7. Once the beef is tender, add the pepper strips and beans and cook until they are heated through.
  8. Taste test during cooking and add salt and ground chilli or chopped fresh chillies as required.

82143
 
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I had to do a web search for all three of those chilis. Two are Peruvian, and the boriya seems to be Indian, but I couldn't fine a clear answer on that.

I have no idea what those three chilis taste like, but have no reason to doubt them. I like the rest of the ingredients, including the beans. It is hard to tell the pintos from the borlottis visually once cooked into the chili.

Did you find the flavor of fresh dried chilis to be better than store bought chili powder as I do? Not the heat, the flavor.

Two Texan thumbs up!

CD
 
Two are Peruvian, and the boriya seems to be Indian, but I couldn't fine a clear answer on that.

That's correct on all counts. Its what I happened to have in my dried pepper stash.

Did you find the flavor of fresh dried chilis to be better than store bought chili powder as I do? Not the heat, the flavor.

Definitely.

It is hard to tell the pintos from the borlottis visually once cooked into the chili.

The borlottis are a bit larger and rounder than pintos. As for the difference in taste, probably not a lot, although I think pintos are nuttier and borlotti are a bit sweeter.
 
Excellent-looking chile con carne! The colour is magnificent.
Have to say I´ve never used ají limón or boriya chiles either. Ají amarillo is very common in Caracas.
Interesting there`s no cumin in your recipe.
 
Excellent-looking chile con carne! The colour is magnificent.
Have to say I´ve never used ají limón or boriya chiles either. Ají amarillo is very common in Caracas.
Interesting there`s no cumin in your recipe.

Oh my! Maybe I should have added that. For some reason I didn't think of it. It would have added another dimension I think.
 
Oh my! Maybe I should have added that. For some reason I didn't think of it. It would have added another dimension I think.
I do like to add cumin to mine. That's only been an addition over the past decade or so, but it does make a difference.

Stunning presentation, as usual! I would eat two bowls of that!
 
Great job MG! And here you thought that the color of the Chili was too dark, I think it looks stop on!
And is this how you ate this Chili?
Any topping/add-ins/extras in the bowl?

I didn't eat it (just taste testing which is very often my way). Partner ate it with the rice and a bit of yoghurt on top.
 
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