Beef
The Only Chili Recipe You’ll Ever Need
This chili recipe is a hearty, satisfying dish that brings together a mix of tender beef, ground meats, and a blend of spices for a deeply flavorful base. Onions, poblano and jalapeño peppers, and garlic add a fresh, aromatic kick, while a combination of stock, beer, and tomato sauce creates a rich, simmering broth. Beans add texture, and a touch of dark brown sugar, Tabasco sauce, and bittersweet chocolate balances the flavors with a hint of sweetness and smokiness. Perfect for feeding a crowd, this chili can be enjoyed right away or left to develop even more depth over time. Serve it with your favorite toppings like sour cream, cheese, and scallions for a comforting meal.
Best Chili Recipe
The Only Chili Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients
Stage 1
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound beef tenderloin tips, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or bison
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 poblano chili, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup pure chili powder, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 ground cinnamon
Stage 2
- 2 quarts beef or chicken stock (homemade—or a good commercial brand)
- 1 bottle beer (light or dark—your choice)
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce (preferably organic)
Stage 3
- 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans (preferably organic and low sodium), drained, rinsed in a colander, and drained again
- 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans (preferably organic and low sodium), drained, rinsed in a colander, and drained again
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, or to taste
- 1 to 3 teaspoons Tabasco sauce, or to taste
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
Recipe Steps
1: Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown the tenderloin over high heat, 4 minutes. Transfer to a large platter.
2: Add the ground beef and pork. Brown over high heat, working in 2 or 3 batches, 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the meat to the platter and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat.
3: Add the onion, poblano, jalapeños, and garlic and lightly brown over medium-high heat, 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, pepper, and cinnamon. Cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
4: Stir in the stock, beer and tomato sauce. Gently simmer the chili over medium heat for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time. (Lower the heat as needed to achieve a gentle simmer.)
5: Alternatively, set up your grill or smoker and heat it to 350 degrees. Add wood chunks or chips to generate wood smoke.
6: Finally, stir in the beans, sugar, Tabasco sauce, and chocolate. Gently simmer the chili until thick and richly flavored, 15 minutes more. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, sugar, chili powder, cumin, or hot sauce to taste—the chili should be highly seasoned.
7: Serve now or let ripen for a few hours or even days in the refrigerator. Serve in bowls with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, and diced tomato for spooning on top.
