Beef take 2

Last night we prepared two beef dishes. One will be ready in 5 days. More about that dish to come.

 

The second was beef chili. The recipe came from 'The New James Beard' cookbook. I came across this gem while digging around my local thrift store. Cookbooks are an awesome thing to look for at thrift stores. 

The recipe originally calls for pork and beef but we opted to omit the pork. In the book the chili is described as akin to the Mexican Mole. I conquer. It was different than your average beef chili and oh so good! Without further ado, here is James Beard's Beef and Pork Chili, sans Pork and tweaked a little.

The Goods:

3 pounds beef chuck cut into 1 inch cubes

Flour

2 large onions, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 coves garlic, finely chopped

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup tomato puree (preferably homemade)

1.5 cups beer (can also use 1 cup dry white wine)

2 cups beef or chicken broth

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 ounce cocoa powder (around 3 tablespoons)

Dredge the meat lightly in flour. Saute onion in butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until golden in large dutch oven. Lower heat and add the chopped garlic. Cook 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic mixture and set aside. Quickly sear the beef cubes in dutch oven. When browned, remove from pan. Add the onion and garlic mixture back to the pot along with the beef, salt, chili powder, oregano, cumin, tomato puree, beer, and broth. Cover and put in a 250 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and test the meat. If it is not tender, cook for another 20 minutes, or until quite tender, then add the sesame seeds and cocoa powder. Stir in well and cook for another 30 minutes. (The chocolate acts as a liaison that pulls the flavors together, and is a slight thickener.) Taste before serving and correct the salt and chili powder content. Garnish with cilantro or green onions and a dollop of sour cream. (I use plain yogurt)

Isn't this plate awesome? I got these for James' birthday. Had to show off the beef...