Chili Con Carne with Beans
Our ground beef chili uses 85 percent lean ground beef for richness and flavor. We use only small amounts of pureed whole canned tomatoes and pinto beans to create a thick, rich dish that is best served over white rice and/or with tortilla chips. To keep the meat moist and tender, we treat it with salt and baking soda. Both ingredients help the meat hold on to moisture, so it doesn’t shed liquid during cooking. This means that 2 pounds of beef can be browned in just one batch. We also simmer the meat for 90 minutes to fully tenderize it. Finally, our homemade chili powder uses a combination of toasted dried ancho chiles, chipotle chiles in adobo, and paprika, along with a blend of herbs and spices to round it out. We make sure to stir in any fat that collects on the top of the chili before serving since it contains much of the flavor from the fat-soluble spices in the chile powder.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 85 Percent lean beef chuck course ground if possible
- 2 cups Water
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 each dried ancho chiles stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ounce tortilla chips crushed (1/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 can can whole peeled tomatoes 14.5-ounce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 white onion chopped fine
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoons 2 minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 can pinto or kidney beans 15-ounce
- 2 teaspoons chopped Mexican Chocolate or sugar
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 lime Lime wedges for garnish
- 1 bunch Coarsely chopped cilantro for garnish
- 1 small Chopped red onion for garnish
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and baking soda in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place anchos in Dutch oven set over medium-high heat; toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes, reducing heat if anchos begin to smoke. Transfer to food processor and let cool.
- Add tortilla chips, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, thyme, and 2 teaspoons pepper to food processor with anchos and process until finely ground, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. Process tomatoes and their juice in now-empty workbowl until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Heat oil in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break meat up into 1/4-inch pieces, until beef is browned and fond begins to form on pot bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Add ancho mixture and chipotle; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add remaining 2 cups water, beans and their liquid, sugar, and tomato puree. Bring to boil, scraping bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until meat is tender and chili is slightly thickened, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Video
Notes
Diced avocado, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese are also good options for garnishing. This chili is intensely flavored and should be served with tortilla chips, steamed white rice or baked potato.
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