Texas Bowl ORed

• 3 dried ancho chiles
• 2 cups dark beer, beef stock, or water, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound beef stew meat or chuck roast (trimmed of excess fat), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (not ground)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large shallot lobes, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
• Ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 to 2 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
• Saltine crackers

1. Cut or tear apart the ancho chiles, discarding the seeds and stems.
2. Toss them into a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for 5 minutes, just until fragrant, without allowing them to char.
3. Transfer them to a blender, pour in 1/2 cup of the beer, and blend until smooth.
4. Heat the oil in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
5. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
6. When the oil shimmers, add just enough meat to the pot to avoid overcrowding.
7. Cook in batches, stirring frequently, until the beef starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes per batch.
8. Return all the meat to the pot, add the garlic and half the chopped shallots, and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the beef is browned all over and the garlic and shallots are soft.
9. Stir in the oregano, cumin, pimenton, and ancho puree.
10. Add enough of the remaining 1 1/2 cups beer to cover the meat by 1 inch.
11. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low so that the mixture is at a bare simmer, and cover.
12. Cook for 6 hours, stirring occasionally if desired.
13. Uncover and use a spatula to mash and break up the meat.
14. Cook, uncovered, for another hour or two, until the chili has become quite thick and the meat has almost melted into the liquid.
15. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and cayenne pepper.
16. Spoon half the chili into a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining chopped shallots and the cheese, and eat with saltines.
17. Refrigerate the remaining half in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for several months.

chiles, dark beer, vegetable oil, meat, kosher, freshly ground black pepper, garlic, shallot, oregano, ground cumin, paprika, ground cayenne pepper, cheddar cheese, crackers

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/texas-bowl-o-red-382522 (may not work)