Ingredients
Directions 8 steps | 90 Minutes
In a 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onions, garlic and jalapeños and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and golden.
Crumble in the ground meat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink. Remove the pan from heat and set it aside.
Prepare the chile puree. Break off the stems and remove the seeds from the dried ancho and New Mexico (or California) chiles. Crumble the chiles into a food processor or blender and add ¼-½ cup of hot water. Process until smooth. Stir in the crushed red pepper and set aside.
Return the meat-vegetable mixture to the stove over medium heat. Stir in the oregano, cumin, and cocoa powder along with one cup of hot water and canned tomatoes.
Bring to a simmer and stir in half of the chile puree. Taste and add more puree to your spice tolerance. (See notes 1.)
Add the kidney and pinto beans and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, until thickened.
If you prefer a thicker chili, stir in the masa harina and simmer for another 10 minutes. To finish, add salt to taste. Begin with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, stir and taste. Continue with ¼ teaspoon increments until the flavors are balanced and to your liking.
Serve the stovetop chili with chopped onions, cilantro and shredded cheese. Enjoy!
Notes:
- Salt will be added later, so do not worry about the final flavor. Just check the heat level at this point.
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