Who doesn't love a warm bowl of chilli when it's rainy or cold outside? Perhaps it's a year-round lunch go-to for you. Whatever the case, I recommend this recipe. It's a great meal just for you, or for the family.

Short rib. For many of us, barbeque comes to mind when we think about the cut, a portion of the rib bone taken from the brisket part of cattle. It's tender, flavourful, and takes some time to cook to break down the connected tissues. The result? Shreds of beef, high in fat, but well worth the wait!

I hope you now understand why it makes sense to integrate short rib into a chilli from that description. This cut was made for it.

In this case, the short rib is typically sauteed then stewed along with the beans, spices and tomato-based broth, cooking for 3 hours or more. This is known as braising, a combination cooking method that uses both dry and wet heat.

The great thing about this recipe is that you don't need a crockpot or slow cooker either, stove top on low heat works just as well!

As for the type of bean(s) you use for your chilli, that's up to you. I used white kidney beans, which have a nutty, earthy flavour profile I think goes well with the steak. My one recommendation would be to select a bean that can hold well for hours of boiling in terms of structure - you wouldn't want to use beans that quickly get mushy. I'd also suggest staying away from canned beans! Even though they take longer to cook, dried beans aren't as high in sodium as any canned vegetables, have more flavour, and you get more out of them through your finished product.

Ingredients

1 pound short rib beef

2 tablespoons chipotle powder

3 tablespoons chilli powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 bag dry white beans

1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 red onion, diced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

3 spring onions

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 jalapeno, diced

1 green pepper, diced

Instructions

Soak the beans in cold water, set aside.

Slice the short rib into thin pieces. You can also cut it into 2-3 larger pieces (if it doesn't come packed that way already) then shred them up with a fork once cooked and broken down after the 3 hour cook time.

In a large pot, sear the short rib in the olive oil and butter with fresh thyme and garlic for about 5 minutes. N.B. At this point, you can also remove the short rib form the pot, then add it back after the tomatoes have simmered. I wanted mine to absorb all those flavours in between as well.

Add the salt, pepper and spices and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add the peppers, jalapenos and onions and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Finally, mix in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, followed by the broth and Worcester sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain the beans and add them to the pot, reduce the heat to low. Close the pot and simmer for 3 hours. Every 20 minutes or so, stir to ensure even cooking and prevent the chilli from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Season and adjust to taste as necessary while the chilli cooks. 

Note: to test readiness, the beans must be soft and edible, and the short rib should break down easily. Shredding along the grain with a fork should pull it apart!

Serve hot with sour cream, cheese, and fresh basil, scallions or parsley! You can also make my Quick Cornbread as a side dish to compliment the chilli. 

To store and reheat: allow the contents to cool. You can separate the chilli into single servings in small, airtight containers. 

Put them in the freezer (for 3 months maximum) or the fridge to consume in 3-4 days.