Short Rib and Butternut Chili | Trust me!

Summer blew out of here and now we find ourselves in a whole new season craving foods that scream September, October, and November. When you think of cooler nights, beanies, flannels and hoodies, they keep you warm on the outside, and this amazinggggg beef chili is seriously like no other you've ever prepared. Keeping you warm from the inside is easy with this incredible dish.

Short ribs. They are such an incredibly flavorful cut of beef. Look at all the amazing marbling and that remarkable protein structure. There's connective tissue, fat and that coupled with your great cooking will make for a chili that's rich, thick, and full of beefy flavor.

So the recipe at large is complex but not difficult! It's dynamic but simple in it's preparation. Once you have the dish constructed, it's truly an orchestra of flavors that when brought together in a low and slow cooking environment, result in the most robust chili you'll probably ever taste!

Now hang in there with me. The ingredient list is a little lengthy. BUT (and that's a big BUT), if you run through your staples pantry and then pick up what you don't have on your next trip to your favorite market, it comes together so easy!

Now the ticket to this dish is patience. And what I mean by that is, I'm going to make a crazy suggestion, so bear with me! When you finally decide to prepare this recipe, I need you to make it and then serve it the NEXT DAY! Yes, you heard me correctly. It's one of those dishes that like any good red sauce, soup or stew, the flavors are fully maximized by preparing it a day ahead, cooling it down safely and then serving it good and piping hot the next day. You'll find the flavors have married, have fully developed and ultimately it takes the edge off the age old question, "what's for dinner". So let's go!

Ingredients

2 T. chili powder

2 t. ground coriander

1 t. ground cumin

½ t. dried Mexican oregano

½ t. dried thyme

1 t. paprika

2 T. vegetable oil

3 pounds short ribs

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. soy sauce

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 bottle beer (dark preferred)

¼ c. strong coffee or espresso

2 t. cocoa powder

1 T. corn meal mixed into 1/4 c. hot water

15 oz crushed tomatoes, canned

1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained

3 c. peeled butternut squash, ½ inch cubes

1 T. brown sugar

Salt and black pepper to taste

Garnishes: chopped jalapeños, sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, dried oregano, dried thyme, and paprika. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or large ovenproof braising pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches as needed, brown the ribs, transferring them to a platter as they are done. Preheat oven to 375F.

Add the onions to the oil, stirring to coat and scraping the pan to release any browned bits from the searing. Cook for about 4 minutes, until lightly browned, then add the garlic; cook for about 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the chili powder-spice mixture. Cook for about 1 minute, then stir in the beer into the chili base. Add the coffee, chocolate, cornmeal, and tomatoes. Add the seared ribs and cook, stirring a few times, until the mixture reaches a brisk simmer. Transfer the covered pot to the oven and cook for 3 ½ hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Stir butternut, black beans, and brown sugar into the chili. Continue cooking until the pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove the ribs from the pan and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove meat from ribs (if using bone-in ribs). The meat should be fall-apart tender. Using two forks, coarsely shred the meat and return to the chili. Season the chili to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve with desired garnishes as noted above and enjoy!

Adapted from: food 52