Five-Alarm Chili

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS As the name implies, five-alarm chili should be spicy enough to make you break a sweat—but it has to have rich, complex chile flavor as well. We used a combination of dried anchos, smoky chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, fresh jalapeños, and chili powder to create layers of spicy flavor. Ground beef added meaty bulk, and pureeing the chiles along with canned tomatoes and corn chips added extra body and another layer of flavor. Mellowed with a bit of sugar and enriched with creamy pinto beans, our chili was well balanced and spicy without being harsh. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

SERVES 8 TO 10

Look for ancho chiles in the international aisle at the supermarket. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best here. Serve chili with lime, sour cream, diced tomato, diced avocado, scallions, and cornbread.

2	ounces (4 to 6) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3½	cups water
1	(28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
¾	cup crushed corn tortilla chips
¼	cup canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
2	pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
	Salt and pepper
2	pounds onions, chopped fine
2	jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeds reserved, and minced
6	garlic cloves, minced
2	tablespoons ground cumin
2	tablespoons chili powder
1	tablespoon dried oregano
2	teaspoons ground coriander
2	teaspoons sugar
1	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½	cups beer
3	(15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed

1. Combine anchos and 1½ cups water in bowl and microwave until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain and discard liquid. Process anchos, tomatoes and their juice, remaining 2 cups water, tortilla chips, chipotle, and adobo sauce in blender until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in colander and set aside.

3. Heat remaining 4 teaspoons oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until simmering. Add onions and jalapeños and seeds and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, sugar, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in beer and bring to simmer. Stir in beans, reserved chile-tomato mixture, and reserved cooked beef and return to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 50 to 60 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve.