YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 15 minutes
STOVETOP: about 2 hours | SLOW COOKER: 8 to 10 hours | PRESSURE COOKER: 50 minutes
One of the most loved recipes in The Zenbelly Cookbook is the chili, which is made with ground beef and has a similar flavor profile to this recipe. When re-creating it for this book, I decided to make it more in the style of chili Colorado, which is made with cubes of beef chuck instead of ground beef.
• 2 tablespoons lard, bacon fat, or avocado oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chipotle paste or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):
• Dairy-Free Sour Cream
• Sliced green onions
• Sliced avocado
1. Heat the lard in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and cinnamon and cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
2. Add the beef, coffee, tomatoes, and chipotle paste. Stir, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
3. Bring the chili to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and cook, partially covered, for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Serve topped with sour cream, green onions, and avocado, if desired.
Slow Cooker Instructions: After completing Step 2, transfer the contents of the pot to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Pressure Cooker Instructions: Use just ½ cup of coffee and drain the juices from the tomatoes. After completing Step 2, transfer the contents of the pot to a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the lid.
Nut-Free Modification: Omit the Dairy-Free Sour Cream.
