Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

Touchdown Chili

Aired on: July 12, 2012, November 18, 2011

What better way to celebrate football season than with a nice, warm bowl of chili.

Ingredients

3 ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
2 guajillo or pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded
3 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1/2 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, casing removed or 1/3 pound center-cut bacon, finely chopped
2 pounds ground beef chuck, ask your butcher for a coarse grind
Kosher salt (makes a nice crust on meat) and coarse black pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 fresh chili, red Fresno or jalapeño, seeded and chopped or sliced for extra heat
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, half a palmful
1 tablespoon cumin, a palmful
1 tablespoon coriander, a palmful
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
A pinch of cinnamon
1 12-ounce Negra Modelo beer
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons masa harina or cornmeal

Yields: 6

Preparation

Place dried chilies in a pot and cover with stock. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently, 10-15 minutes then purée and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat Dutch oven with vegetable or olive oil over high heat. Add chorizo or bacon and begin to render. Pat ground beef dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Add to pot and develop a nice crusty brown on beef. Add onions, garlic, fresh chili, oregano, cumin, coriander, cloves and cinnamon. Cook onions until soft; deglaze pan with beer. Stir in dried chili purée, honey and cornmeal; reduce heat and simmer to thicken and develop flavor, 45 minutes over low heat.

Cool and store for a make-ahead meal; then bring to room temp and add a little water to reheat over medium flame.

Serve with toppings of choice.