Name: Beef Chili for Two
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 1 pound beef blade steaks , trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/4 teaspoon table salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 small onion , chopped; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce; 1 garlic clove , minced; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce; 1 cup water; 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans , rinsed; 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to capture all the big, beefy flavor of long-cooked chili in a simple weeknight dish for two. Chuck-eye roast has unbeatable flavor and silky texture but is available only in bulk. Blade steaks gave us the same end result and were more convenient to buy and less of a chore to trim. We found that we could build the chili all in one saucepan (no need to remove the beef after searing) and then simmer it in the oven for faster, hands-off cooking.

Before You Begin

You will need a medium ovensafe saucepan for this recipe. Before using the blade steaks, trim and discard their interior line of gristle. You can substitute sirloin steak tips (also known as flap meat) for the blade steaks, if desired. Serve with your favorite chili garnishes.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in ovensafe medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown beef on all sides, about 8 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, chipotle, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in beans and sugar and bring to boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour.

Let chili sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.