Description
Rich pioneer woman chili with chuck roast combines hearty beef and robust spices for a comforting meal. Slow-cooked to perfection, you’ll savor each spoonful of this classic southwestern-style dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups (473 ml) reduced-sodium beef broth
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) canola oil
- 2 tbsps (30 g) cornmeal
- 2 tsps dried oregano
- 2 tsps ground cumin
- 3 ½ tsps salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- Crumbled queso fresco (to taste)
- Pickled sliced jalapeños (to taste)
- Cilantro (to taste)
- Corn chips (to taste)
Instructions
- Chile Preparation: Fragment guajillo and ancho chiles into 1-inch pieces. Gently roast in a medium saucepan over medium heat until aromatic and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes.
- Infusion Process: Combine roasted chiles with onion, garlic, and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until chiles soften completely, approximately 10 minutes. Drain and cool briefly.
- Blending Stage: Transfer chile mixture to blender. Incorporate beef broth, cornmeal, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Pulverize until achieving a smooth, uniform puree.
- Meat Searing: Season beef chunks with kosher salt and black pepper. Brown meat in batches in a Dutch oven with canola oil, ensuring thorough caramelization on all sides.
- Braising Method: Return all beef to pot, integrating chile puree completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low. Cook until meat becomes exceptionally tender, stirring occasionally and adding broth if needed, 1.5-2 hours.
- Finishing Touch: Drizzle apple cider vinegar into the chili and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, garnishing with queso fresco, pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and corn chips as desired.
Notes
- Roast Chiles Carefully: Gently toast chiles over medium heat to release deep, complex flavors without burning, which can create bitter undertones.
- Brown Meat in Batches: Ensure each beef chunk develops a rich, caramelized exterior by avoiding overcrowding the pot, which prevents proper browning and seals in maximum flavor.
- Use Quality Beef Cut: Chuck roast provides exceptional tenderness and robust flavor, breaking down beautifully during the slow-cooking process for melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Balance Spice Layers: The chile puree creates a nuanced, authentic Mexican-style chili base that adds depth beyond typical ground beef versions, elevating the entire dish’s complexity.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg