I recently spent a Sunday afternoon judging the You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Bowl Chili Cookoff. I was on a panel of four judges, and after tasting 19 chilis (pass the antacid), there was one we kept dipping our spoons into. It was a deep, dark red chili that had big chunks of tender, flavorful brisket. There was an earthiness mixed with smooth sweetness that I couldn’t put my finger on. And it packed the perfect amount of heat. I don’t have the winner’s recipe (I wouldn’t dare ask), but here’s my shot at it. This recipe has many of the components that intrigued me…and made it a first-place prize winner.
Time:
2-3 hr.Rating
/rating_off.png "1 Star")
Loading...| 6 slices bacon | |
| 4 cups chopped onion | |
| 6 garlic cloves, minced | |
| 2 Tbl Ancho Chile flakes | |
| 1 tsp kosher salt | |
| 1 tsp black pepper | |
| 5 lbs flat-cut beef brisket, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into 3-inch cubes | |
| 2 Tbl Dark La Mesa chili powder | |
| 1 tsp ground cumin | |
| 1 tsp dried Mexican Oregano | |
| 1 tsp ground coriander | |
| 2 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies (hot or mild…your choice) | |
| 1 (7 oz) can diced roasted green chilies | |
| 1 (12 oz) bottle beer (lager) | |
| 1 sweet potato, cut into 1 inch chunks |
| 1. | In a large dutch oven, fry bacon to render the fat—reserve the bacon for another use (or eat it!) Saute the onion in the bacon fat until clear; add the garlic and Ancho flakes in the last few minutes and saute until fragrant. |
| 2. | Remove the onions, garlic, and anchos and set aside—they will be added back in a bit. Season the brisket with salt and pepper. |
| 3. | In batches, brown the brisket on all sides in the bacon fat. Move the browned brisket to a plate between batches to catch any juices. |
| 4. | After browning, return all the meat to the pot along with the onion-garlic-Ancho chile mixture. Pour any reserved juices from the onions and meat into the pot. |
| 5. | Begin adding all remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Adjust the consistency with a little water if necessary. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours. |
| 6. | Check the tenderness of the brisket and continue to cook until tender. |
| 7. | Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions. Corn bread would be great on the side. Enjoy! |
| 8. | Note: Brisket is a highly flavorful but tough cut of meat…give it some time. |
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