Fire-Roasted Tomato Chili con Carne
- Makes6 Servings
- Cook Time2 hours
- Slow Cook Time8¾ to 9¾ hours
- 8
To get the rich, earthy flavor of whole dried chilies without having to toast, soak and puree them, we use ancho chili powder, which is pure ancho chilies pulverized to a fine consistency. If you can’t find ancho chili powder, increase the regular chili powder (which is a blend of ground chilies and other spices and herbs) to ⅓ cup. We thicken our chili with crushed tortilla chips. The easiest way to crush them is to place them in a zip-close bag, seal the bag and roll with a rolling pin until the chips are finely crushed. Serve the chili with shredded cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, chopped cilantro and hot sauce, if desired
Don’t be shy about trimming the beef. Chuck is a fat-rich cut, so removing as much fat as possible before cooking helps prevent the chili from becoming greasy. Also, don’t drain the tomatoes before use; their liquid is needed for proper pressure cooking.
Step 1
Start In a large bowl, stir together both chili powders, the sugar, cumin, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the beef and toss to coat. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste is browned. Stir in the tomatoes with juices, chilies with sauce and 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the beef, then distribute in an even layer.
Step 2
Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 50 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, let the pressure reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
Step 3
Finish using a large spoon, skim off and discard the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Stir the crushed tortilla chips into the chili. Select More/High Sauté and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili is lightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Let stand for 10 minutes, then taste and season with salt.
