Hey guys, I posted this and then immediately fucked off to the bar (as one does). Sorry about that. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dried chiles (I use a combination of Ancho and Guajillo chiles plus a couple of chiles from my dad's garden that are hot. I have no idea what they are. They could be Tabascos. Not sure, and neither is my dad. You could probably throw in a habanero or a sereno)

• 2 tsp cumin seed, ground

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 2 tbsp lard, bacon fat, etc.

• 2.5 lbs chuck roast or steak

• 1 small onion, diced

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• ~1 liter water

• 3 cups beef stock

• 2 tbsp masa harina

• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar

• 1/8 tsp of finely ground coffee or unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar

Procedure:

1. In a large skillet, toast the chiles over medium heat until fragrant. Do not burn them.

2. Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with boiled (very hot) water. Let sit for 30-45 minutes, flipping to make sure they soak through.

3. De-stem and seed the peppers under a faucet. Scrape the soft flesh from the skin with a knife. If some skin gets in, don't worry about it. It will get blended. Save the soaking water.

4. In a jar, add the chile flesh with cumin, salt, and black pepper with 1/4 cup of the soaking water (strained). Blend with an immersion blender until a paste (you can use an upright blender also, but you have to scrape the sides of the blender jar). Set the chile paste aside.

5. In a skillet over medium high heat melt the fat and add the beef. Brown on all sides, and transfer to a bowl or carving board.

6. Set the skillet to low and allow to cool. Cut the beef against the grain into cubes and set aside.

7. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and saute until fragrant.

8. Deglaze the skillet with the beef stock, 2 cups of the water used to soak the chiles, and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

9. Slowly whisk in masa harina into the sauce to avoid lumps.

10. Stir in the chile paste.

11. Add the cubed beef and any juices from the plate. Bring to a light boil, and then reduce to a very low simmer. The sauce should barely be bubbling.

12. Simmer, uncovered for about 3 hours or until beef is tender and sauce has thickened and reduced to about 1.5 to 2 cups.

13. Stir in brown sugar, coffee/cocoa, and vinegar. Simmer for 10-20 more minutes. Add more salt, brown sugar, or vinegar for balance.

14. Turn off heat, and let the chili sit for 30 minutes to allow the beef to reabsorb sauce.

15. Rewarm and serve in small bowls.

Accoutrement:

• 1 Tsp Sour Cream
• 1 lime wedge
• 1/2 Tsp Cilantro, diced
• Tortilla chips/cornbread/Fritos