Chocolate Chipotle Chili

Usually when one thinks of braising meats they don't really think of chili, at least I didn't until I ... well ... until I DID.  What is braising and why do people do it?  Well braising is simply taking meat (usually a tough cut) and browning it by searing, then cooking it low and slow in a low temperature closed moist environment for a lengthy time.  It is a process that's been around for a very long time.  In the very old days people used to cook by suspending a heavy metal pot over a fire to slowly braise their foods.  For more even heat people even placed embers from the fire below on top of the pot's lid.  Inside this metal pot meats and vegetables cooked low and slow in some liquid creating absolutely delicious dishes that take all that time and build wonderful character.  This dish is pretty easy to make.  Once you put it in the oven you have two whole hours to clean up, make a cocktail or pop a bottle of wine, and relax while it cooks away quietly in the old hotbox ... just don't finish the bottle and forget to take it out when it's done!

Ingredients:

about 2lbs of beef short ribs
1 large red onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp smoked paprika
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp ground cumin
about 16oz of beef stock
1 28oz can of beans (preferably black or pinto)
1 29oz can of diced tomatoes
3 or 4 finely diced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 oz unsweetened baker's chocolate
1 bunch scallions

Description:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Set your dutch oven on the stovetop with enough oil to lightly coat the bottom and turn the heat to high.  Let it get very hot.  Lay out your short ribs bone side down and generously salt and pepper them.  Place short ribs into the very hot dutch oven meat side down to sear, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the short ribs and set aside.  Place the onion and peppers into the pot and cook on medium high heat for about six to eight minutes.  Add the garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, cocoa powder and cumin.  Turn the heat back up to high and cook for another two to three minutes.  Now add the beef stock and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pot. Drain and rinse the canned beans.  Add the beans, tomatoes with the canned liquid, the chipotle with adobo and the chopped chocolate.  Bring the whole mixture to a low simmer and add the short ribs back into the pot.  Nestle the ribs down into the mixture, cover and place in the oven for two hours.  Carefully remove the dish from the oven.  Carefully remove the short ribs from the dish and, on a separate plate, discard the bones and shred or chop the meat and return it to the pot.  Give one final stir and serve in a bowl with chopped scallions and rustic bread!