• Prepare the ingredients: pull the short ribs from the fridge and let them rest to warm up. Dice onion and jalapenos (remember you can leave the seeds and membrane in for spicier chili or discard seeds and membrane for milder chili.) Smash and dice the garlic. Measure remaining ingredients.

Chili pepper paste:

• Take the stems and seeds out of the dried chili peppers and discard.
• Preheat the Dutch oven (I use 5.5 quart) over medium heat. Add some oil and add the dried chili peppers. Let them toast for about a minute and flip to toast the other side.
• Add hot water and quickly close the lid. Lower the heat to medium-low and let them rehydrate for about 5-7 minutes.
• Transfer the softened chili peppers into a blender or a little food processor, with the water that is in the pot. Blend the chili peppers into paste. (Add a little beef stock or water if needed to blend well.) Set aside

Sear the short ribs:

• Pat the short ribs dry and season them with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Add a little more oil to the same Dutch oven and sear the short ribs for about a minute or so on each side, until browns. You will need to work in batches of a few short ribs at a time, don't overcrowd the pot. Take them out and set aside.

  Tip: if there is a lot of rendered fat leftover in the pot after searing the short ribs, drain some of it off if you wish.

Build the chili:

• Add the diced onion and jalapenos to the Dutch oven. Sauté until softened and starts to brown.
• Make a little well in the center and add the minced garlic, oregano, paprika, and cumin. Stir with the veggies and continue to stir and toast the seasoning for about 30-45 seconds, until fragrant.
• Stir in tomato paste, cornmeal, brown sugar, and chili paste with the veggies and let it toast as you stir for about a minute as well.
• Pour in the beef stock as you scrape the bottom of the pot. Add in bay leaves and salt. Stir a few seconds and taste to check the seasoning. Lower the heat to low while you chop the meat.
• Cut the short rib meat off the bones and I personally like to take off the fat caps and excess fat off the meat as well. That is optional. Chop the meat into chunks, as big or small as you wish.
• Add the chopped meat into the pot and add the bones as well.
• Cover the Dutch oven with the lid but leave a small opening. Transfer the pot into the oven and let it cook for 2 hours. (Check the liquid levels about half way through to make sure it's not cooking out too much. Add a little more beef stock if needed.)
• Take the pot out of the oven and take out the bones. If there is meat left on the bones, you can take it off and add back to the pot, but there will mostly be a tendon left that's wrapped around the bone. So you can just discard it.
• Stir in tomatoes, beans, and lime juice into the chili. Taste again.
• Raise the heat to 325℉ and cover the pot again leaving a small opening. Put it back into the oven and cook for another 1-1.5 hours.
• Take it out of the oven, discard bay leaves, and serve with your toppings of choice.