The Best Short Rib Chili Recipe

Ingredients

Chile Paste

• 8 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeds removed)
• 1 dried chile de árbol (stemmed and seeds removed)
• 2 cups beef stock
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (seeds left intact)
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

Short Ribs

• 3 pounds bone-in short ribs
• 1 salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 all-purpose flour (for dusting)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Base

• 2 medium yellow onions (diced)
• 2 jalapeños (seeded and chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced or grated)
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 can (15-ounce) diced tomatoes (drained)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Spices

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
• 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice

Finish

• 1 can (15-ounce) black beans (drained)
• 1 favorite toppings (shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, red onions, jalapeños, lime, cilantro, tortilla chips, etc.)

Instructions

Prepare the Chile Paste

1. Over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or stock pot, toast the dried chiles until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups beef stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chiles soften and are pliable.
3. Add the chiles and beef stock to a blender with the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Brown the Short Ribs

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the short ribs. Lightly dust with flour.
2. Add oil to the large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and reserve on a plate.
3. Repeat with the second half of short ribs and remove and reserve on a plate.

Build the Chili

1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and jalapeños to the pot. Cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Pour in remaining 3 cups of beef stock, strong coffee and reserved chile paste, scraping up the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, cocoa powder, brown sugar and spices. Add the short ribs back to the pot.

Simmer

1. Bring the heat back to medium-high and boil the mixture. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer.
2. Put the top on, leaving a small crack open. Simmer until the short ribs can be easily removed from the bone, about 2.5-3 hours.
3. Remove the short ribs from the Dutch oven and add the drained beans to the pot and cover.
4. Give the short ribs a few minutes to cool. When the short ribs are cool enough to handle, shred the meat off the bone. Stir the shredded short ribs back in the pot.
5. Serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

• The depth of flavor comes from the combination of dried chiles and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, creating a complex, smoky, and slightly spicy base.
• For a milder chili, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or remove the seeds from the jalapeños.
• This chili actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld together.