Texas-Style Red Chili with Brisket

Directions

• Cut beef into 1 1/2-inch cubes if using fresh, raw meat. Cut into 1-inch cubes if using brisket that’s already cooked.
• Remove the stem ends from the dried chilies. Peel each chili open and remove the majority of the seeds. Then snip or tear the chilies into smaller pieces.
• Place dry chili pieces into a sauce pan along with 3 cups of the beef stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain simmer for 25 minutes.
• If using raw meat, heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot and brown the meat on all sides. Don’t overcrowd the pot; do this in a couple batches if necessary. Once all meat is nicely browned, remove from pot and set aside.
• Melt the butter in the Dutch oven, and cook the onion and fresh peppers (use any combination of jalapeno, serrano, or poblano you like – depending on how hot you like your chili). Cook until vegetables are mostly softened. Then stir in garlic and cook another minute.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two. Then deglaze with the coffee. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits that might be stuck on there. Allow everything to come back up to a simmer.
• Using an immersion blender or standard blender, turn the softened chilies and beef stock into a puree. It should be very smooth.
• Add all of the beef into the pot (whether you started with raw or pre-cooked), along with all dry seasonings (including cocoa, brown sugar, and cinnamon).
• Pour in the chili/beef stock puree. Stir everything together to fully incorporate. Then stir in the final cup of beef stock.
• Add in the bay leaves, and heat everything back up to a low simmer, and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the lid, and continue simmering for around 20 minutes – or until the chili has all thickened up to the desired consistency.
• Remove the bay leaves, and stir in the lime juice.
• Serve with your favorite chili toppings.