Mike's 3-Bean Chili

Ingredients

Contains: wheat, fish (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound beef soup bones
• 6 cups water, or as needed to cover
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 6 slices bacon, minced
• 3 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 yellow onions, diced
• 1 whole head garlic, minced
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped - or more to taste
• 1/2 cup chili powder, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 1/2 (1 ounce) squares dark unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 (2 ounce) package anchovy paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles stout beer, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Cut the chuck roast into 1-inch cubes. Mince the bacon and cook it in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and leave the fat in the pot.

2. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the vegetable oil, and brown the beef cubes in batches, about 20 minutes total. Set the beef aside.

3. Add the beef soup bones and enough water to cover them. Bring to a simmer, skim the foam, and cook for 60 minutes. Remove the bones and discard them.

4. Add the onions, garlic, green and red bell peppers, jalapeno, and serrano peppers to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, anchovy paste, and tomato paste and cook 3 minutes.

5. Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Add the stout beer, drained diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and chocolate squares. Stir well, cover, and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the rinsed and drained black, kidney, and cannellini beans. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until the beef is fork-tender and reaches at least 145°F (63°C) inside, then rest 3 minutes before serving.

7. Stir in the vinegar and taste, adding more serrano, chili powder, or beer as desired. Remove the bay leaf. For a thicker chili, mix the cornstarch with a splash of water (optional), stir it in, and simmer 5 minutes.