Mexican · Beef
Braised Beef Chilli
A slow-braised beef chili featuring tender chunks of beef and chorizo cooked low and slow until fall-apart tender. This rich and hearty stew develops deep flavors through long cooking and combines smoky chorizo with perfectly spiced beef.
The Method
Instructions
First things first, let's get the oven warmed up to 120C (225F or gas mark 1) . This low and slow heat will work wonders on our chilli, making the beef tender and full of flavor.
While the oven is heating, take the beef out of the fridge to let it come closer to room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly later on. Next, grab your food processor and pulse the onions and garlic until they're finely chopped. You want them to be small enough to melt into the sauce but not so fine that they disappear completely. If you don't have a processor, no worries , just finely dice them by hand.
Now, heat up about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole dish over a medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the beef and sear it on all sides. You're looking for a beautiful golden crust here, which locks in all those meaty juices and adds fantastic flavor. This might take about 5 to 7 minutes,don't rush it, patience pays off!
Once the beef is nicely browned, take it out and set it aside on a plate. Add a small slug more olive oil to the same casserole, then toss in the chorizo to brown it. The chorizo will release some lovely spiced oils, which will be the base for our sauce. When it's nicely browned and fragrant, remove the chorizo and set that aside as well.
Next, add the onion and garlic mixture back into the casserole, stirring them around in the flavorful chorizo oil. Toss in your spices, herbs, and chillies at this stage. Cook everything gently until the onions soften and become translucent,this usually takes about 5 minutes. You'll know they're ready when they smell sweet and start to look a little glossy. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper to enhance all those layers of flavor.
Now it's time to add some tang and sweetness. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, followed by the plum tomatoes, tomato ketchup, and a good spoonful of dark brown sugar. Give everything a good stir to combine, letting the sauce start to thicken and meld together. The vinegar's acidity will balance the sweetness of the sugar and the richness of the meat beautifully.
Put all the beef and the browned chorizo back into the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Pour in about 400ml of water ,or if you're feeling fancy, a splash of red wine for extra depth. Bring the whole pot up to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover it with a lid and transfer the casserole to your preheated oven.
Let it cook low and slow for about 2 hours . This is the magic time when the beef gets super tender and all the flavors start to marry together. After 2 hours, check on the meat,it should be soft but not falling apart yet. Now's the perfect moment to add the borlotti beans. Stir them in gently, then pop the casserole back into the oven for another hour so the beans soak up all those delicious juices.
Right before you're ready to serve, grab a couple of forks and gently pull the meat apart. The beef should be tender enough to shred easily, turning into lovely strands that blend perfectly into the chilli. Give everything one last stir, taste for seasoning, and you're good to go!
This chilli is fantastic served with a side of rice, some crusty bread, or even a dollop of sour cream to cool things down a bit. Enjoy your cooking and the delicious meal!
While the oven is heating, take the beef out of the fridge to let it come closer to room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly later on. Next, grab your food processor and pulse the onions and garlic until they're finely chopped. You want them to be small enough to melt into the sauce but not so fine that they disappear completely. If you don't have a processor, no worries , just finely dice them by hand.
Now, heat up about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole dish over a medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the beef and sear it on all sides. You're looking for a beautiful golden crust here, which locks in all those meaty juices and adds fantastic flavor. This might take about 5 to 7 minutes,don't rush it, patience pays off!
Once the beef is nicely browned, take it out and set it aside on a plate. Add a small slug more olive oil to the same casserole, then toss in the chorizo to brown it. The chorizo will release some lovely spiced oils, which will be the base for our sauce. When it's nicely browned and fragrant, remove the chorizo and set that aside as well.
Next, add the onion and garlic mixture back into the casserole, stirring them around in the flavorful chorizo oil. Toss in your spices, herbs, and chillies at this stage. Cook everything gently until the onions soften and become translucent,this usually takes about 5 minutes. You'll know they're ready when they smell sweet and start to look a little glossy. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper to enhance all those layers of flavor.
Now it's time to add some tang and sweetness. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, followed by the plum tomatoes, tomato ketchup, and a good spoonful of dark brown sugar. Give everything a good stir to combine, letting the sauce start to thicken and meld together. The vinegar's acidity will balance the sweetness of the sugar and the richness of the meat beautifully.
Put all the beef and the browned chorizo back into the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Pour in about 400ml of water ,or if you're feeling fancy, a splash of red wine for extra depth. Bring the whole pot up to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover it with a lid and transfer the casserole to your preheated oven.
Let it cook low and slow for about 2 hours . This is the magic time when the beef gets super tender and all the flavors start to marry together. After 2 hours, check on the meat,it should be soft but not falling apart yet. Now's the perfect moment to add the borlotti beans. Stir them in gently, then pop the casserole back into the oven for another hour so the beans soak up all those delicious juices.
Right before you're ready to serve, grab a couple of forks and gently pull the meat apart. The beef should be tender enough to shred easily, turning into lovely strands that blend perfectly into the chilli. Give everything one last stir, taste for seasoning, and you're good to go!
This chilli is fantastic served with a side of rice, some crusty bread, or even a dollop of sour cream to cool things down a bit. Enjoy your cooking and the delicious meal!
Pairs Well With
