Texas Chili con Carne

Ingredients

• 1.4kg beef chuck, cut into 2cm cubes
• 4 dried ancho chillies
• 3 dried guajillo chillies
• 2 dried chiles de arbol
• 500ml boiling water
• 3 tbsp beef dripping or neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp masa harina
• 750ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• Diced onion, grated cheddar and lime wedges, to serve

Before you cook

• Cut the beef into 2cm cubes, pat it dry and season it with salt and pepper
• Stem and seed the dried chillies, tearing them into flat pieces
• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic
• Boil the kettle for soaking the chillies

Steps

1. Toast the torn chillies in a dry heavy pan over medium heat for about 40 seconds per side, until they smell sweet and smoky but before they darken.
2. Cover the toasted chillies with the boiling water and weigh them down with a plate for 20 minutes.
3. Blend the softened chillies with 250ml of their soaking liquid to a smooth, thick paste and set it aside.
4. Heat the dripping in a heavy casserole over high heat and brown the beef in three batches, giving each batch 4 minutes and moving it to a bowl.
5. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion in the remaining fat for 6 minutes until soft.
6. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
7. Stir in the chilli paste and cook it for 4 minutes, letting it darken and thicken like tomato puree.
8. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and pour in the beef stock.
9. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it to the gentlest simmer, cover it partially and cook for 2 hours 30 minutes, stirring every half hour.
10. Check that the beef shreds under light pressure from a spoon, and give it another 30 minutes if it does not.
11. Whisk the masa harina with 4 tablespoons of water and stir it into the pot.
12. Simmer uncovered for a final 15 minutes until the chilli is thick enough to mound on a spoon.
13. Balance the pot with the vinegar, brown sugar and salt, tasting as you go.
14. Serve in bowls with diced raw onion, grated cheddar and a wedge of lime.