Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, diced medium
2 medium (red and yellow) bell peppers, seeded and diced medium
1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and diced medium
1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced small
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili chowder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) Rotel tomatoes
2 bay leaves
Directions:
Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In two batches, cook beef until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch (add 2 teaspoons more oil for second batch).
Transfer beef to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
In same skillet, cook 2 teaspoons oil, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic over medium, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes.
Add cumin, chili chowder, oregano, and flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour broth into skillet, stirring until liquid is smooth. Simmer 2 minutes.
Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and add tomatoes and bay leaves.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Cover and cook in slow cooker on high 6 hours.
This makes a really good dish that is great by itself or served over white rice. You can let it cool in the fridge for a day and then turn it into more traditional chili the next day by doing as follows:
The next day I transfer it to a stock pot and warm it slowly while I brown and season 3 pounds of coarse-ground beef in a big, cast iron dutch oven. The extra ground beef makes the texture of the stewed chuck roast more chili-like. I add the warmed carne guisada to the browned ground beef in the dutch oven, and then start adding chunky tomatoes, tomato sauce and a little beef broth here and there. To keep the consistency thick and meaty, sometimes I have to add a little flour to broth in a small bowl and whisk until it is smooth and flowing, then swirl it slowly into the chili pot. I let the chili simmer over very low heat for several hours while stirring and waiting patiently for the flavors to meld.
I think this recipe is kind low on spice so I put in a little extra cayenne pepper.
