Pressure Cooker Chunky Beef and Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more if needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder, plus more if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more if desired
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, tomatoes crushed by hand, juices drained and reserved
• 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee or espresso
• 1/2 ounce dark chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 cups cooked and drained red kidney beans or two 15.5-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sour cream, cilantro leaves, thinly sliced fresh chili or jalapeño, grated cheese, thinly sliced scallions, lime wedges, and more, for serving

Directions

1. Sprinkle the beef with salt on all sides. Warm the oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat, or use the sauté setting on an electric model, until it shimmers. In batches, sear the short rib slabs, turning them as needed, until the 2 broadest sides are deeply browned. Move the browned meat to a cutting board, chop it into 1/2-inch pieces, and set it aside.
2. Add the onion to the cooker and cook, stirring often and loosening the browned bits from the bottom, until it is lightly golden, about 5 minutes. The timing will vary quite a bit depending on your pressure cooker, especially with electric models where the heat level is fixed. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook until the mixture smells fragrant, about 1 minute. If the pot looks dry at any point, add more oil. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it deepens slightly in color, about 1 minute.
3. Put the beef back into the cooker, including any juices that collected. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together well. Season lightly with salt. Stir in the coffee, chocolate, and fish sauce, then add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring thoroughly and scraping across the bottom of the pot just before you lock on the lid.
4. Seal the cooker, bring it up to high pressure, and cook for 35 minutes. Use the quick-release method, then stir the chili well, making sure to scrape the bottom so nothing is stuck.
5. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the drained beans. Add salt and plenty of black pepper, then taste and adjust with more chili powder, cumin, or cayenne if you’d like. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. If the chili is thicker than you want, loosen it with some reserved tomato juices, or bean-cooking liquid if you have it. If it is thinner than you like, keep simmering until it reaches the consistency you want.
6. Serve with whatever toppings you choose.