Heather’s Texas Red Chili

This easy, economical meal-in-a-bowl can be saved for a future heat-and-eat meal. Let the chili cool completely after cooking, then refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 3 days, or freeze, up to 3 months. You’ll find dried chilis like guajilos or pasillas (a good substitute) in cellophane packages at many supermarkets, usually in the international aisle or with the spices. From Everyday Food magazine.

• 1 1/2 ounces dried guajillo chilis
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon sauce
• 1 pound boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium white onion, diced small
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 3 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Place guajillos in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and weight with a small plate to keep submerged. Let sit until pliable, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1 cup soaking liquid. Drain guajillos; discard stems and seeds. In a blender, blend guajillos, chipotle chili and sauce, and soaking liquid until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Set chili puree aside.

Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add oil to pot, season beef chuck with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes (do not crowd pot; work in batches if necessary). Transfer to bowl with short ribs.

Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, oregano and cornmeal and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add meat, broth, chili puree and just enough water to cover meat, if necessary; bring to a boil over high. Partially cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and cook until meat is tender and chili is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Add vinegar to taste. Serves 6.

Per serving: 559 calories; 40 g fat (15 g saturated fat; 64 percent calories from fat); 11 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 2 g fiber.