Beef and Bean Chili
A thick, hearty pot of beef and bean chili with bloomed spices, a little cocoa and a splash of beer, simmered until rich and topped any way you like.
- Everyday Classics
- Cast iron / Dutch oven
- Beef
- Dinner
- 105 min total
- Serves 8
Ingredients
Ingredients for servings
Enter a number of at least ½, in steps of ½.
Original recipe serves 8. Ingredient amounts adjust automatically. Cooking times and pan size may need adjusting separately.
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 lb ground beef, 85/15
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 12 oz beer, or beef broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 can
- 10 oz Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies, 1 can
- 15 oz kidney beans, 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz pinto beans, 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Toppings
- shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onions and corn chips, for topping
Steps
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the beef and brown it well, breaking it up, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon off most of the fat.
Step 2: Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeño and cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, cocoa and tomato paste. Stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and the spices darken slightly.
Step 4: Pour in the beer and scrape the bottom. Simmer 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add the crushed tomatoes, Ro-Tel, beans, broth, salt and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
Step 6: Simmer uncovered 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until thick. Add a splash of broth if it gets too thick.
Step 7: Stir in the vinegar right before serving. Taste and adjust salt and heat. Serve with toppings.
Swaps
- No beans: Skip the beans and add another pound of beef.
- Slow cooker: Brown the beef and bloom the spices, then cook on Low 6 to 8 hours.
- Heat: Add a chipotle in adobo, minced, for smoky heat.
Tips
- Chili always tastes better on day two after the flavors settle.
- It freezes well for up to 3 months.
The story
HAM Cooking. Let’s fire it up.
Chili is the dish people argue about most and cook the least carefully. Beans or no beans? Cinnamon? Spaghetti underneath? I’ll let you sort that out with your neighbors. I’m here with beans, a splash of beer and a pot big enough for a football game.
The most important step takes about 90 seconds. Spices like chili powder and cumin carry their flavor in oils that release better in fat than in water. Stirring them into the hot fat with the meat and veggies before any liquid goes in is called blooming, and it wakes them right up. A spoonful of cocoa doesn’t make chili taste like chocolate; it adds depth and a little roasted bitterness. And the splash of vinegar at the end brightens the whole pot so it doesn’t taste flat after the long simmer.
Make it a day ahead if you can. Your future self will thank you, and so will whoever gets the leftovers.
HAM out.
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