the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Hot Damn Tri-Tip Chili

As much as many of us would prefer it not be so, it’s still winter in much of the country, and still soup, stew, and chili season.

We’ve been big chili fans around our camp for many years, and have a slew of recipes we always reach for. Like most of you, we have recipes using all sorts of different proteins, and a few vegetarian recipes as well, though many of those utilize legumes in higher volumes than we typically consume these days.

And while when I hear the word tri-tip, I most often think of a grilled Santa Maria styled tri-tip, with a crusty spice layer and cooked to a tempting medium-rare finish, and sliced thinly across the grain, tri-tip is a great braiser too.

This Hot Damn Tri-Tip Chili owes it’s chili magic to two key things.

The first is the simple fact almost all of the chili flavor comes from a chile puree you make right in your own kitchen, one that you can in fact customize to suit your own preferences (by varying the chiles) quite simply. Once you get this routine down a whole new world of chile (and chili) goodness will open before you.

The second part of the magic is the wonder that happens to a cut of protein that’s a little on the tougher-chew side but imbued with an amazingly deep, rich flavor when it’s slowly braised in a spicy liquid in low heat over several hours. You can have your Instant Pot – there’s no way it can touch the flavors that low and slow cooking imparts.

Don’t let the length of the ingredient list and instructions fool you, this is a very straightforward recipe and only takes 25-30 minutes of actual hands-on time if you’re handy in the kitchen.

Git ‘er done.

5-8 dried ancho chiles, prepped and cleaned
5-8 dried guajillo chiles, prepped and cleaned
2-4 dried New Mexico chiles, prepped and cleaned
4-5 pounds tri-tip , cut into 1-inch pieces
2-3 tbsp avocado oil (or EVOO)
2 fair-sized poblanos, stemmed, seeded, small dice
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, small dive
1 large onion, medium dice
6 cloves garlic (the big ones), minced
4 (or more) chipotles in adobo, minced
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice
2 tbsp of your best chili powder (to cover all the chili flavor bases)
1-2 tbsp ground cumin (start with one)
1 tbsp good kosher salt (or more to taste)
2 generous tsp dried Mexican oregano
2-4 cups chicken broth as needed

Optional
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 bottle Mexican beer
More chilis!

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small saucepan, add the dried and prepped chiles, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. When softened, puree chiles until smooth with a bit of the soaking liquid or chicken stock.

While the chiles are soaking, heat the oil over medium-high heat in your trusty Dutch oven; brown the tri-tip in batches, remove to a platter.

Fire the oven to 325.

Now sauté the onion and poblanos until soft, then add the garlic and chipotles and stir for a minute or so. Now stir in the chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, salt, and oregano; stir for another minute or so until well mixed.

Now add the beer if using, crushed tomatoes with juice, the chili puree, and the tri-tip back to the pot, mixing well, and topping off with stock if needed to cover the meat. Cover, and throw in the oven for at least three hours, stirring every hour and adding chicken stock as needed. It’s ready when the tri-tip loosens up and begins to fall apart.

When it’s done, pull from the oven, let rest for 20-30 minutes, skim the fat, and then go to it.

Enjoy.