The Best Chili Ever Recipe

Ingredients (38)

• 1 pound (450g) dried dark red kidney beans
• 6 tablespoons (26g) kosher salt or 3 tablespoons table salt, plus more to taste
• 4 quarts (3.8L) water
• 3 whole ancho, pasilla, or mulato chiles, seeded and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
• 2 whole New Mexico red, California, costeño, or choricero chiles, seeded and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
• 1 whole cascabel, árbol, or pequin chile, seeded and torn in half
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (9g) whole cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (3g) whole coriander seeds
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 whole star anise
• 5 pounds (2.3kg) bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of silver skin and excess fat
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1 quart (900ml) low-sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade), divided
• 1 ounce (23g) chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon (5.4g) extra-finely ground coffee beans
• 2 whole anchovy fillets
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) Marmite
• 1 large yellow onion, diced fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3 fresh Thai bird chiles or 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (3g) dried oregano
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 (28-ounce; 794g) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (60ml) cider vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vodka or bourbon
• 2 tablespoons (28g) dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) Buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank's RedHot (or more to taste)
• 4 medium scallions, sliced finely
• 8 oz. Cheddar, Jack, or Colby cheese, grated
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3-4 Jalapeño or Poblano peppers, diced and seeded
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 16 saltine crackers
• 1 (3 1/4-ounces) bag Fritos