Chili Con Carne, aka Best Chili Ever

Chili Con Carne:

Seriously, best chili I have ever had. I made it a couple weekends ago, so I don’t have any pictures. But no joke, I now truly believe it is impossible to cook a better chili than this recipe produces. Toasting the whole chili pods in the oven and grinding them in your coffee grinder (spice grinder if you have a separate one) is a must. As a side note of caution, don't try and substitute chicken stock for the water. You will only mask the fresh chili flavor and be bombarded by me with angry emails reminding you of this warning. Also, with all the chili pods and fresh jalepenos, I thought it was going to be crazy spicy. Much to my surprise, the chili could have used more heat. Next time I make it I’m going to use all the seeds from the jalepeno (versus seeding half of them) or mix in some serranos, other hotter peppers, pinch of cayenne, or hot pepper sauce. I served it with sour cream and diced onions with cornbread as a side.

3 ancho chili pods (about ½ ounce), toasted and ground (see note)
3 New Mexico chili pods (about 3.4 ounce), toasted and ground (see note)
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 teaspoons dried oregano
7 ½ cups water
4 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt to taste
8 ounces bacon (about 8 slices), cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 to 5 jalepeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Ground Black Pepper

Note: Toasting/Grinding Chilis – place chilis on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until fragrant and puffed (about 6 mins). Cool, stem and seed, tearing the pods into pieces. Place the pieces in a spice grinder and process until powdery, 30 to 45 seconds.

1. Mix the chili powders that you ground with the cumin, and oregano in a small bowl and stir in ½ cup of the water to form a thick paste; set aside. Toss beef cubes with 2 teaspoons salt; set aside.
2. Fry the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat to render fat and get bacon crispy. Remove bacon w/ slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate. Pour out all but 2 teaspoons of the fat from the pot into a bowl and set it aside. Increase heat to med-high and start sautéing the meat in batches until well browned on all sides, and add reserve bacon fat as needed. (remember, no one likes it when you overcrowd the pan) Set browned meat aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Saute onion until softened (5 to 6 mins). Add garlic and jalepeno chiles and sauté until fragrant (1 min). Add the chili paste mixture and sauté until fragrant (2 to 3 mins). Add the reserved bacon and browned beef, the crushed tomatoes, lime juice, and remaining 7 cups of water. Bring to a simmer. Continue to cook at a steady simmer until the meat is tender and the juices are dark, rich, and starting to thicken, about 2 hours.
4. Mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl to form a smooth paste. Increase the heat to medium, stir in the paste, and simmer until thickened (5 to 10 mins). Adjust the seasoning generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve!