I don't want to get caught up in the "authentic chili" wars, so let me just
state that the following recipe may or may not be "real" chili (and I
*definitely* wouldn't call it Chili Alfredo). But it's excellent winter
fare.


Cooks Illustrated Chili con Carne

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder or 3 medium pods (about 1/2 ounce), toasted
and ground
3 tablespoons New Mexico chili powder or 3 medium pods (about 3/4 ounce),
toasted and ground
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat until
fragrant, about 4 minutes, and ground
2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 cup water
1 4-pound beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt, plus extra for seasoning
8 ounces bacon (7 or 8 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
4-5 small jalapeño chile peppers, cored, seeded, and minced
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
2 tablespoons juice from 1 medium lime
5 tablespoons masa harina or 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Ground black pepper

1. Mix chili powders, cumin, and oregano in small bowl and stir in 1/2 cup
water to form thick paste; set aside. Toss beef cubes with salt; set aside.

2. Fry bacon in large, heavy soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-low heat
until fat renders and bacon crisps, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with
slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate, pour all but 2 teaspoons fat from
pot into small bowl; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high; sauté meat in
four batches until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch,
adding additional 2 teaspoons bacon fat to pot as necessary. Reduce heat to
medium, add 3 tablespoons bacon fat to now-empty pan. Add onion; sauté until
softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté until fragrant,
about 1 minute. Add chili paste; sauté until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add
reserved bacon and browned beef, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, lime
juice, and 7 cups water; bring to simmer. Continue to cook at a steady
simmer until meat is tender and juices are dark, rich, and starting to
thicken, about 2 hours.

3. Mix masa harina with 2/3 cup water (or cornstarch with 3 tablespoons
water) in a small bowl to form smooth paste. Increase heat to medium; stir
in paste and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning
generously with salt and ground black pepper. Serve immediately, or
preferably, cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 5
days. Reheat before serving.




SMOKY CHIPOTLE CHILI CON CARNE SERVES 6

Grill-smoking the meat, a technique from food writers John and Matt Lewis
Thorne, authors of the Serious Pig, in combination with chipotle chiles give
this chili a distinct but not overwhelming smoky flavor. Make sure you
start with a chuck roast that is at least three inches thick. The grilling
is meant to flavor the meat by searing the surface and smoking it lightly,
not to cook it.

1. To prepare meat: Puree 4 medium garlic cloves with two teaspoons salt.
Rub intact chuck roast with puree, and sprinkle evenly with 2 to 3
tablespoons New Mexico chili powder; cover and set aside. Meanwhile, build
a hot fire. When you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill for no more
than 3 seconds, spread hot coals to area about the size of the roast. Open
bottom grill vents, scatter one cup soaked mesquite or hickory wood chips
over hot coals, and set grill rack in place. Grill roast over hot coals,
opening lid vents three-quarters of the way and covering so that vents are
opposite bottom vents to draw smoke through and around roast. Sear meat
until all sides are dark and richly colored, about 12 minutes per side.
Remove roast to bowl; when cool to the touch, trim and cut into 1-inch
cubes, reserving juices.

2. For the chili: Follow recipe for chili con carne, omitting the browning
of meat cubes and substituting 5 minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo
sauce for jalapeños.


To ensure the best chili flavor, I recommend toasting whole dried chiles and
grinding them in a mini-chopper or spice-dedicated coffee grinder. For
hotter chili boost the heat with a pinch of cayenne, a dash of hot pepper
sauce, or crumbled pequin chiles near the end of cooking. Serve the chili
with any of the following side dishes: warm pinto or kidney beans, corn
bread or chips, corn tortillas or tamales, rice, biscuits, or just plain
crackers, and top with any of the following garnishes: chopped fresh
cilantro leaves, minced white onion, diced avocado, shredded cheddar or jack
cheese, or sour cream.

Bob

"Bob" wrote in message ...
I don't want to get caught up in the "authentic chili" wars, so let me just
state that the following recipe may or may not be "real" chili (and I
*definitely* wouldn't call it Chili Alfredo). But it's excellent winter
fare.


Cooks Illustrated Chili con Carne

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder or 3 medium pods (about 1/2 ounce), toasted
and ground
3 tablespoons New Mexico chili powder or 3 medium pods (about 3/4 ounce),
toasted and ground
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat until
fragrant, about 4 minutes, and ground
2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 cup water
1 4-pound beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt, plus extra for seasoning
8 ounces bacon (7 or 8 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
4-5 small jalapeño chile peppers, cored, seeded, and minced
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
2 tablespoons juice from 1 medium lime
5 tablespoons masa harina or 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Ground black pepper

1. Mix chili powders, cumin, and oregano in small bowl and stir in 1/2 cup
water to form thick paste; set aside. Toss beef cubes with salt; set aside.

2. Fry bacon in large, heavy soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-low heat
until fat renders and bacon crisps, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with
slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate, pour all but 2 teaspoons fat from
pot into small bowl; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high; sauté meat in
four batches until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch,
adding additional 2 teaspoons bacon fat to pot as necessary. Reduce heat to
medium, add 3 tablespoons bacon fat to now-empty pan. Add onion; sauté until
softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté until fragrant,
about 1 minute. Add chili paste; sauté until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add
reserved bacon and browned beef, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, lime
juice, and 7 cups water; bring to simmer. Continue to cook at a steady
simmer until meat is tender and juices are dark, rich, and starting to
thicken, about 2 hours.

3. Mix masa harina with 2/3 cup water (or cornstarch with 3 tablespoons
water) in a small bowl to form smooth paste. Increase heat to medium; stir
in paste and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning
generously with salt and ground black pepper. Serve immediately, or
preferably, cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 5
days. Reheat before serving.




SMOKY CHIPOTLE CHILI CON CARNE SERVES 6

Grill-smoking the meat, a technique from food writers John and Matt Lewis
Thorne, authors of the Serious Pig, in combination with chipotle chiles give
this chili a distinct but not overwhelming smoky flavor. Make sure you
start with a chuck roast that is at least three inches thick. The grilling
is meant to flavor the meat by searing the surface and smoking it lightly,
not to cook it.

1. To prepare meat: Puree 4 medium garlic cloves with two teaspoons salt.
Rub intact chuck roast with puree, and sprinkle evenly with 2 to 3
tablespoons New Mexico chili powder; cover and set aside. Meanwhile, build
a hot fire. When you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill for no more
than 3 seconds, spread hot coals to area about the size of the roast. Open
bottom grill vents, scatter one cup soaked mesquite or hickory wood chips
over hot coals, and set grill rack in place. Grill roast over hot coals,
opening lid vents three-quarters of the way and covering so that vents are
opposite bottom vents to draw smoke through and around roast. Sear meat
until all sides are dark and richly colored, about 12 minutes per side.
Remove roast to bowl; when cool to the touch, trim and cut into 1-inch
cubes, reserving juices.

2. For the chili: Follow recipe for chili con carne, omitting the browning
of meat cubes and substituting 5 minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo
sauce for jalapeños.


To ensure the best chili flavor, I recommend toasting whole dried chiles and
grinding them in a mini-chopper or spice-dedicated coffee grinder. For
hotter chili boost the heat with a pinch of cayenne, a dash of hot pepper
sauce, or crumbled pequin chiles near the end of cooking. Serve the chili
with any of the following side dishes: warm pinto or kidney beans, corn
bread or chips, corn tortillas or tamales, rice, biscuits, or just plain
crackers, and top with any of the following garnishes: chopped fresh
cilantro leaves, minced white onion, diced avocado, shredded cheddar or jack
cheese, or sour cream.

Bob



I'm with you....don't care if it's "real" chili or not....never met a
chili I didn't like. I saw this but haven't tried it yet. I'll have
to give it a try...I've yet to be disappointed with anything coming of
of Cooks Illustrated.
Thanks

Bubba