It is rapidly becoming cold in northern Idaho, and the day was filled with winterizing chores. Pulled a couple of New York strip steaks from the freezer to make cold weather comfort food
The dried chiles - de-stemmed, seeds removed, and toasted on hot cast iron to bloom the flavors. All are mild to medium except the jalapeno. The blend of chiles brings many layers of flavors to the table
2 cups of chicken stock plus the torn toasted peppers, blended smooth - this serves as the chili base
The fresh ingredients - left to right - pasilla, Serrano, and jalapeno - not pictured is garlic and tomato
Fresh ingredients finely diced and sweating
Steak was cubed and then browned on all sides - done in batches to keep from crowding the pan - chile base, meat, and beans were added to the pot, then seasoned with paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper
De-glazing the brown bits with one bottle - then added to the pot, which was placed in a 350F oven for an hour and 45 minutes
This bowl is topped with Bradley smoked cheddar
We were delighted with the depth of flavor, but disappointed with the beans - not their presence, but that they were not tender. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender and all other aspects of the chili were quite good. The next time I'm not going to listen to my missus (who wanted me to use the oven), and will be cooking in the pressure cooker