Description
Mole poblano and chili are a perfect match. Spices and tomatoes add depth, while vinegar and squash create balance. The secret ingredient? Smoked Porter
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 ancho chile peppers*
- 2 pasilla chile peppers*
- 2 guajillo chile peppers*
- 1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil or lard
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) ground cumin
- 1 tsp New Mexico ground chile powder (or other non-spicy ground red chile powder)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) ground beef, 85/15 or 80/20 (or ground turkey or cooked/smoked shredded turkey)
- 12 oz (360 ml) robust or smoked porter
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) stock (vegetable or chicken)
- 2 oz (60 g) semi-sweet chocolate
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 2 chipotles from a can of chipotles in adobo, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) adobo sauce from the can of chipotles in adobo
- 3 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
Garnish:
- sour cream
- freshly chopped cilantro
- cotija
- sliced avocado
- toasted sesame seeds
Accompaniments:
- cornbread
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Remove stem and shake out seeds of dried chiles. Tear chiles into large pieces and place in a non-reactive bowl; cover with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes. Transfer chiles to a food processor or blender with 1/2 cup soaking liquid, adding more if needed; puree until smooth.
- Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add bell pepper, poblano, onion, garlic, and 1 tsp salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and garlic is fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink; carefully pour off any excess oil. Add ground spices and cook, stirring regularly, an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in the beer; stir and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes then stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, stock, chocolate, cider vinegar, chipotles, adobo sauce, and butternut squash. Bring chili to a boil; once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add black beans during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve in a large bowl and pile on those toppings.
Notes
- The dried chiles soak for 20 minutes; use 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid in the purée — it adds depth.
- A smoked porter works best here, but any dark, robust beer works in a pinch.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 460