Texan Chilli con Carne

Ingredients

The chilli paste

• 4 dried ancho chillies (stems and seeds removed)
• 4 dried guajillo chillies (stems and seeds removed)
• 2 dried chipotle chillies (or 2 chipotle in adobo, see notes)
• 750 ml beef stock (hot)

The chilli

• 1.5 kg beef chuck steak (cut into 2-3 cm cubes)
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 large onions (chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano (Mexican if possible)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée (a small amount - strictly speaking non-traditional, but it builds the colour)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 750 ml beef stock (additional, to top up)
• 2 tablespoons masa harina (corn flour for tortillas)
• 1 lime (juiced)
• Fine sea salt and black pepper

To serve

• Cornbread or warm flour tortillas
• Sour cream
• Grated sharp cheddar
• Pickled jalapeños
• Finely chopped raw white onion
• Coriander leaves
• Lime wedges

Method

Stage 1 - Toast and rehydrate the chillies

1. Heat a dry heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Toast the dried ancho, guajillo and chipotle chillies for 30 seconds per side - until they smell fragrant and have darkened slightly. Don't let them go past dark brown to black; charred chillies turn the sauce bitter.
2. Tear the toasted chillies into rough pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the 750 ml hot beef stock. Cover and leave to soak for 20 minutes, until the chillies are soft and the stock has stained deep red.

Stage 2 - Blitz the paste

1. Tip the chillies and their soaking stock into a high-powered blender or food processor. Blitz to a smooth, glossy paste - 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides if needed.
2. For the smoothest result, push the paste through a fine sieve into a bowl with the back of a spoon. The seeds and tough skin fragments stay in the sieve; the silky paste passes through. Skipping this step is fine for a more rustic finish.

Stage 3 - Sear the beef

1. Pat the beef cubes dry with kitchen paper - wet beef won't sear. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot (Dutch oven ideal) over a high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the beef in 3-4 batches - don't crowd the pan or the meat steams instead of searing.
3. Sear each batch for 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice, until each face has a proper dark crust. Lift onto a plate as you go. The crust is where the flavour lives; rushed sears give thin-tasting chilli.

Stage 4 - Build the base

1. Drop the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Tip in the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deep gold and starting to caramelise at the edges.
2. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika. Stir for 90 seconds - the kitchen should smell strongly of toasted spice.
3. Add the tomato purée and stir for another 2 minutes until the purée darkens to a deep brick red.

Stage 5 - Combine and slow-cook

1. Heat the oven to 140°C fan / 160°C / 320°F (alternatively, keep on the hob at the lowest simmer).
2. Return the seared beef and its resting juices to the pot. Pour in all the chilli paste, the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Stir to coat every cube.
3. Top up with the additional 750 ml of beef stock - the liquid should just cover the beef. Bring to a low simmer.
4. Cover with the lid (cracked slightly for some evaporation) and slide into the oven. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours, stirring once an hour and topping up with hot water if it looks too dry. The beef is ready when it falls apart with gentle pressure from a spoon.

Stage 6 - Thicken and finish

1. Take the pot out. Fish out the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the masa harina with 4 tablespoons of hot chilli liquid until smooth. Stir back into the pot. Return to the hob over a low heat and simmer for 5 minutes - the chilli thickens noticeably as the masa cooks.
3. Stir in the lime juice. Taste: it should be deep, savoury, gently smoky, with the chilli warmth building slowly rather than punching upfront. Adjust salt; add another squeeze of lime if it feels muddy.

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Ladle into wide warm bowls. Pass the toppings at the table - let everyone build their own with sour cream, cheese, raw onion, pickled jalapeños, coriander, lime.
2. Warm cornbread or flour tortillas on the side for mopping.