Blazing 8 Chili Recipes

DING DONG EIGHT-ALARM CHILI

Steps:

• Soak ancho chiles in hot water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain well.
• While chiles soak, mince 1 whole garlic clove and mash to a paste with 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon cumin, and 1/2 tablespoon chili powder. Pat beef dry and toss with spice mixture in a large bowl until coated.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef in 3 or 4 batches, without crowding, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch (lower heat as needed; spice mixture burns easily). Transfer beef as browned to another bowl. (Do not clean pot.)
• Purée anchos in a blender along with tomatoes (including juice), chipotles in adobo, cilantro, remaining 2 whole garlic cloves, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt until smooth.
• Add enough oil to fat in pot to total 3 tablespoons, then cook onions and chopped garlic over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits from beef, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add oregano, remaining tablespoon cumin, and remaining tablespoon chili powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chile purée and 1 chopped serrano and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in beer, water, and beef along with any juices accumulated in bowl and gently simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally and checking often to make sure chili is not scorching, 2 hours.
• Taste sauce, then add more serrano if desired and continue to simmer, partially covered, until beef is very tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 hours more. (If chili becomes very thick before meat is tender, thin with water as needed.)
• Coarsely shred meat (still in pot) with 2 forks and cool chili completely, uncovered, then chill, covered, 1 to 2 days to allow flavors to develop.
• Reheat over low heat, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 30 minutes. Add beans (if using) and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes.

BLAZING SMOKED STEAK CHILI

Steps:

• Rub the steaks with the chili powder and some salt and smoke them for a few hours over mesquite wood. Add the peppers for the last hour, and try to get some char on them. Skin the peppers and roughly chop, and chop the steak into 1" square chunks. Boil the small hot chiles and the anaheim in the beer for a moment, then soak for 20 minutes. Remove the chiles and chop to a pulp.
• Chop the onion and garlic and saute in a little oil until starting to carmelize, then add all the rest of the ingredients, including the beer that the chiles were boiled in, and of course the steak-- everything except the tomato sauce, beans and smoked poblanos. Simmer for 1 hour with the lid off to reduce, and then add the rest and simmer another 20 minutes.
• Ladle into bowls and top off with chopped raw onion and shredded cheddar to your liking!

ANNE ROSENZWEIG'S ARCADIAN EIGHT-BEAN CHILI

Steps:

• In a large pot, soak the beans together overnight, in water to cover. Drain and add fresh water to cover. Cook at a simmer for one-and-a-half hours, until just tender.
• While the beans are simmering, heat a large pot or saute pan. Mince the bacon and cook it until it begins to crisp. Add the onions and garlic and cook over medium heat for five minutes. Add all the spices and the ground poblano chilies and cook an additional five minutes. Add the tomatoes with juice and the beer; simmer for half an hour.
• In another pan, cook the beef until the pink color disappears. Drain and add it to tomato mixture.
• When the beans are fully cooked, drain them, reserving the water, and add the beans to the meat and tomato mixture. Add salt to taste and let the mixture simmer approximately one hour. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved liquid from the beans.

SHEILA LUKINS' BLAZING SQUASH CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic and peppers. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have wilted. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, allspice, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring to coat the vegetables well with spices.
• Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, the red wine, butternut squash, orange zest, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
• Fold in the kidney beans and simmer 10 minutes longer. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and parsley. Serve garnished with the scallions.

BLAZING BRISKET

Steps:

• Wrap the brisket entirely in bacon slices, and place into a large glass baking dish. Mix together the coffee and salt. Pour the coffee mixture over the brisket, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
• In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and minced garlic. Cook stirring occasionally until butter is melted, and has turned golden. Spread all of the shortening onto the inside of a roasting pan. Place the brisket in the pan with one cup of the coffee marinade. Lay slices of the fatback over the roast. Place sweet potatoes around the perimeter of the roasting pan. Pour the garlic butter over the roast and potatoes. Let stand for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
• Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 4 hours in the preheated oven. The internal temperature of the roast should be at least 145 degrees F (62 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
• While you wait for the roast, stir together the olive oil and horseradish in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for at least half an hour, then pour into a small bowl. This is the dipping sauce for the brisket.