Chili

Start by placing the ancho or guajillo chilies in a deep skillet. Cover them with boiling water and let stand for about 15 minutes or until the chilies have softened. Drain the soaking liquid, being careful to reserve 1/3 of a cup. Discard any stems and seeds, then toss the soaked chilies, tomato paste, garlic and reserved soaking liquid into a food processor. Blend until smooth and set aside. Test Kitchen Tip: A lot of chili recipes fall flat when it comes to spice and seasoning. They either rely too heavily on the basics (like salt, pepper and chili powder) or go way overboard on the spicy stuff. For this recipe, Sarah recommends using ancho chilies. These chilies are dried poblano peppers, and they have a mild, sweet flavor. When used in conjunction with fresh poblanos, the dish gets extra depth.

In a small skillet, toast the chili powder, paprika and cumin over medium heat until aromatic, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the spices and set them aside. Then, in a Dutch oven, cook and stir the ground beef and the Montreal steak seasoning over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and drain away any fat. Test Kitchen Tip: Montreal steak seasoning is a delicious flavor booster. It’s a handy seasoning to stock in your pantry, but it’s also easy to make your own. In a bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons each of kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper, and 2 teaspoons each of onion powder, dried minced garlic, paprika, crushed coriander seeds and crushed red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container.

Next, sprinkle the steak cubes with 1 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper. In a Dutch oven, brown beef in 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Work in batches until all of the beef has been browned, then remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside. Saute the onion and poblano pepper in the remaining oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in toasted spices, oregano and pepper flakes. Add the cooked meats along with stock, beer, tomatoes, beans, remaining salt and pepper, and the reserved chili paste mixture. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Stir in masa and simmer 30 to 45 minutes longer. Test Kitchen Tip: Masa harina, which literally means “dough flour,” is flour made from dried corn. Stirred in at the end of cooking, it helps thicken the chili and adds a subtle corn flavor. Find it at most grocers or online.

One of the best parts of chili is topping it with all of your favorite fixings. Set out a combination of fresh ingredients, like diced tomatoes, red onion and jalapenos; crunchy toppers, like tortilla strips, corn chips or French-fried onions; and creamy mix-ins, like shredded cheese, sour cream and American cheese slices.