Chili

A note on the meats: if your market has good looking beef, lamb, and pork "stew meat," go for it, but if you don't see it, just ask for a cut from one of the parts of the animal that gets a workout, such as the shoulder -- that's where you find the good braising meat.

1 lb beef stew meat
1/2 lb lamb
1/2 lb pork
2oz dried Ancho chiles, chopped (remove the seeds from all chiles for less heat)
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
adobo sauce from canned chiles, to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 large yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 roasted red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, ribs, seeds, and skins removed
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 bottle beer (Pacifica or Corona is good)
1 can reduced sodium chicken stock
tortilla chips (any kind you know aren't too salty)
vegetable oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Season the beef, lamb, and pork with salt and pepper and set aside.
Pour a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil into the bottom of a large stockpot or dutch oven. Add the chopped dried ancho chiles and turn the heat up to medium, allowing the chiles to soften and the oil to become infused with the chile.

Once the chiles are softened, remove to the bowl of a food processor. Add the roasted bell peppers and the chipotles and adobo sauce as well.

Turn the heat up to high and add the meat (in batches to prevent overcrowding in the bottom of the pan), searing each piece. Remove the seared meat to a bowl and set aside. When all the meat has been seared, decrease the heat in the pan and add the onions, garlic, chili powder, a pinch of salt, and a hefty pinch of fresh cracked black pepper.

When the onions are soft and translucent, add half to the food processor along with the chiles and bell peppers, and pulse until the mixture is a thick paste. Add this paste back into the pot, then add the can of chicken broth, the bottle of beer, and the can of tomatoes and return the meat (and all the lovely juices) to the pot. Crumble in a BIG handful of tortilla chips. Stir in the chips, place the lid on the pot, and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.

Every twenty minutes or so, check on the chili and give it a stir to make sure nothing is settling to the bottom and burning. The chili is done when the meat is falling apart and tender, which takes about three hours. Serve with the acoutrements of your choice, and enjoy.