Description
Hearty Pioneer Woman chili elevates comfort cooking with tender chuck roast, delivering rich, slow-simmered flavors that dance between smoky and spicy. Meat lovers will savor this soulful southwestern classic that turns simple ingredients into a memorable meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats:
- 3 pounds trimmed boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces (1.36 kilograms)
Dried Chiles and Spices:
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (473 milliliters)
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal (used as a thickener)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Toppings (to taste):
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Pickled sliced jalapeños
- Cilantro
- Corn chips
Instructions
- Deconstruct the guajillo and ancho chiles into roughly 1-inch fragments. In a medium saucepan, gently roast the chiles over medium heat, stirring intermittently, until they become aromatic and develop slight charred spots, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
- Incorporate the onion, garlic, and sufficient water to submerge the ingredients by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Elevate to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer, uncovered, periodically stirring, until the chiles soften completely, around 10 minutes. Thoroughly drain and allow to cool momentarily.
- Migrate the chile mixture into a blender. Introduce beef broth, cornmeal, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Pulverize until achieving a silky, uniform consistency, approximately 1 minute. Reserve the puree.
- Warm canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Massage the beef chunks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in a spacious mixing bowl. Brown the meat in controlled batches, rotating to ensure even caramelization, roughly 8-10 minutes per batch.
- Consolidate all beef portions back into the pot. Integrate the prepared chile puree thoroughly. Accelerate to a boil, then immediately reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer at low temperature. Periodically stir and supplement with additional broth if the mixture appears dry, cooking until the meat becomes extraordinarily tender, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Splash apple cider vinegar into the mixture and recalibrate seasoning with supplementary salt if necessary. Present the chili piping hot, garnished with crumbled queso fresco, pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and crisp corn chips according to individual preference.
Notes
- Low and Slow Magic: Simmering the chili for hours breaks down tough meat fibers, creating melt-in-your-mouth beef that absorbs all the rich spice combinations.
- Spice Depth Matters: Toasting whole dried chiles before grinding releases deeper, more complex flavors that transform ordinary chili into an extraordinary experience.
- Beef Selection Secrets: Choosing chuck roast with visible marbling ensures natural fat rendering, which adds incredible richness and prevents the meat from becoming dry during long cooking.
- Traditional Texas Style: Authentic chili focuses solely on meat and spices, skipping beans to highlight the robust beef flavor that defines true southwestern cooking.
- Cornbread Companion: Serving warm, slightly sweet cornbread alongside provides the perfect textural contrast and helps soak up every last drop of spicy, hearty chili.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 830 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg