Our Favorite Chili

Name: Our Favorite Chili
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: , table salt; 1/2 pound, dried pinto beans (about 1 cup), rinsed and picked over; 6 , dried ancho chiles (about 1 3/4 ounces), stems and seeds removed, and flesh torn into 1-inch pieces (see note); 2-4 , dried árbol chiles, stems removed, pods split, and seeds removed (see note); 3 tablespoons, cornmeal; 2 teaspoons, dried oregano; 2 teaspoons, ground cumin; 2 teaspoons, cocoa powder; 2 1/2 cups, low-sodium chicken broth; 2 medium, onions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups); 3 small, jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed and discarded, and flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 3 tablespoons, vegetable oil; 4 medium, garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons); 1 (14.5-ounce) can, diced tomatoes; 2 teaspoons, light molasses; 3 1/2 pounds, blade steak, 3/4 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (see note); 1 (12-ounce) bottle, mild-flavored lager, such as Budweiser

Main Courses
Vegetables
Beans
Beef
Stews
Super Bowl

By Andrea Geary ･ Appears in Cook's Illustrated January/February 2011, America's Test Kitchen TV

We built the best basic chili from the ground up, and then entered the strange world of secret ingredients to determine what's legit and what's just laughable.

SERVES 6 to 8

TIME 3½ to 4 hours, plus 1 hour standing

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