Tim’s Thick & Meaty Chili

Directions

1. Put 8 cups of water in a five-quart stock pot. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of salt. Set heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
2. Once water is boiling, put all the dried chilies into the pot, cover and turn down heat to medium-low. Remove from heat once the chilies are soft (approximately 30-45 minutes).
3. While the chilies are steaming, dice onions, jalapeños and poblanos.
4. In a 10-quart stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the short ribs. As the short ribs brown, add 1 tablespoon of cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Remove the short ribs from the pot once browned and set aside.
5. Knead together sausage and ground beef, then put in a 10-quart stock pot and brown.
6. Remove the dried chilies from the water with tongs. Remove stems and put the chilies into the food mill or food processor. Grind into a paste. If using a food processor or immersion blender, press the paste through a chinois or another sieve (even cheesecloth can do in a pinch).
7. Once the ground beef and sausage is cooked, add onions, jalapeños and poblanos. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Bring to a simmer and cover.
8. After onions, jalapeños, and poblanos are softened, add short ribs and chili paste. Stir until well mixed.
9. Add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, balsamic reduction and beef stock. Let reduce for 45 minutes to 3 hours, depending on how intense you like the flavor, stirring occasionally. For thicker add masa. For sweeter notes, add molasses.