Cook's Illustrated

Our Favorite ChiliPublished January 2011

We built the best basic chili from the ground up, and then entered the strange world of secret ingredients to determine what’s legit and what’s just laughable.

The ProblemThe key to perfect chili lies in the all-powerful “secret ingredients.” But chili devotees are as tight-lipped about revealing their secret ingredients as they are about complimenting someone else’s recipe.

The GoalOur ideal chili would be rich with slow-cooked beef and pinto beans, and redolent with chile peppers and spices, all bound in an unctuous sauce.

The SolutionIn the interest of convenience, we opted for blade steak, which cooks up tenderand is simple to break down. In our early tests, tasters liked the soft, creamy texture of quick-brined pinto beans, and embraced the addition of tomatoes and aromatics.

In an attempt to avoid the gritty, dusty texture and inferior flavor of supermarket chili powders, we decided to make our own. We removed the stems and seeds from dried ancho and arbol chiles, then toasted the anchos in a dry skillet until they were fragrant. We then ground all the peppers in a food processor along with cumin, oregano, cornmeal (for thickening the chili once it was incorporated) and a bit of stock.

Now it was time for us to experiment with secret ingredients, and we decided on a handful. The lightly hoppy flavor of lager complemented the other ingredients beautifully. Unsweetened cocoa added depth without being readily discernible. Molasses lent the chili an “earthy, smoky depth” that tasters love. And as a final surprising move, we switched from beef broth to chicken broth for better balance.

Why this recipe worksBlade steak was easy to cut into pieces and cooked up tender, so it served as the base of our chili recipe. We avoided the grittiness of supermarket chili powders by making our own. Adding cornmeal to our chili powder thickened the chili. For secret ingredients, our chili recipe relies on lager, unsweetened cocoa, andmolasses.

TEST KITCHEN CHILISERVES 6 TO 8

kosher salt1/2 pound, dried pinto beans (about 1 cup) – rinsed and picked over6 dried ancho chiles (about 1 3/4 ounces) – stems and seeds removed, and flesh torn into 1-inch pieces2-4 dried àrbol chiles – stems removed, pods split, seeds removed3 tablespoons, cornmeal2 teaspoons, dried oregano2 teaspoons, ground cumin2 teaspoons, unsweetened cocoa powder2 1/2 cups, chicken broth (divided use)2 medium onions – cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups)3 small jalapeño chiles – stems and seeds removed and discarded, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces3 tablespoons, vegetable oil4 medium garlic cloves – minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)1 (14.5 ounce) can, diced tomatoes2 teaspoons, light molasses3 1/2 pounds, blade steak, 3/4 inch thick – trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 3/4-inch pieces1 (12-ounce) bottle, mild lager beer (such as Budweiser) In a large Dutch oven, combine 4 tablespoons of salt, 4 quarts of water, and the beans and bring to boil over high heat. Remove the pot from heat, cover, and allow the beans to stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the ancho chiles in 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat; toast them, stirring frequently, until flesh is fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes - reducing the heat if chiles begin to smoke. Transfer the toasted chiles to the bowl of food processor and allow them to cool. Do not wash out the skillet.

To the food processor containing the toasted ancho chiles, add the àrbol chiles, cornmeal, oregano, cumin, cocoa, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Process until finely ground - about 2 minutes. With the processor running, very slowly add 1/2 cup of the broth through the feed tube, until a smooth paste forms - about 45 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and set aside. Place the onions in the now-empty processor bowl and pulse until roughly chopped - about four 1-second pulses. Add the jalapeños and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of chunky salsa - about four 1-second pulses - scraping down the bowl as necessary.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture has evaporated and vegetables are softened - 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant - about 1 minute. Add the reserved chili paste, the tomatoes, and the molasses. Stir until the chili paste is thoroughly combined with the other ingredients. Add the remaining 2 cups broth and the drained beans; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.

Meanwhile, in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oiluntil it is shimmering. Pat the pieces of beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle them with 11/2 teaspoons of salt.

To the skillet, add half of the beef and cook until browned on all sides - about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the Dutch oven. Add 1/2 of the bottle of lager to the skillet, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Transfer the lager to the Dutch oven. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon oil, beef pieces, and lager. (Heat the oil, brown the beef, transfer the beef to the Dutch oven, add lager to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and add the simmering beer to the Dutch oven.) Once the last addition of lager has been added to the Dutch oven, stir to combine the ingredients and return the mixture to a simmer.

Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook until the meat and beans are fully tender - 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Allow the chili to stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir well and season to taste with salt before serving.

COOK’S NOTES:A 4-pound chuck-eye roast, well trimmed of fat, can be substituted for the steak. Because much of the chili flavor is held in the fat of this dish, refrain from skimming fat from the surface. Wear gloves when working with both dried and fresh chiles. Dried New Mexican or guajillo chiles make a good substitute for the anchos; each dried arbol may be substituted with 1/8 teaspoon cayenne. If you prefer not to work with any whole dried chiles, the anchos and àrbols can be replaced with 1/2 cup commercial chili powder and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, though the texture of the chili will be slightly compromised. Good choices for condiments include diced avocado, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro leaves, lime wedges, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. The chili can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Recipe adapted from: an article written by Andrea Geary for Cook’s Illustrated magazine January-February 2011