Warm up to a bowl of this satisfying Southwestern classic made from ground beef stewed with bold ingredients like cocoa, tomatoes, beef broth and beer!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 20 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 2 hr |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 pounds ground beef chuck
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 12-ounce bottle amber beer
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more if needed
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- Shredded cheddar cheese, sliced scallions and/or sour cream, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and let cool, then crumble and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the saucepan (reserve the drippings). Increase the heat to medium high, add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon; wipe out the pan.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon drippings in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon salt and cook 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste is brick red, about 6 minutes (add a splash of water if the mixture begins to stick). Add the beer and simmer until almost completely reduced, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the beef and any juices from the plate; add the cocoa powder, tomatoes, beef broth and beans and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
- Stir the hot sauce into the chili and season with salt. Add some beef broth if the chili is too thick. Ladle into bowls and top with the crumbled bacon, cheese, scallions and/or sour cream.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 408 |
| Total Fat | 15 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 12 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 38 g |
| Cholesterol | 86 mg |
| Sodium | 1120 mg |
Reviews
Doubled the recipe exactly and it was okay..not great. My son had made for me as a single recipe and it was great. What happened please
May try again as a single recipe and see the result
May try again as a single recipe and see the result
Wicked base recipe, as any variation to suit your own is always a go-to. Put in Anaheim peppers instead of green, changed up the beans a bit with half red half black, added in half a can of diced chipotle peppers. Topped off with Mexican crema and cheese with jalapeno poppers on the side
yummy, and my husband likes it. hooray.
Excellent chili. Heavy, smoky, dimensional flavor. Bacon unnecessary. Doesn’t impart any flavor. Next time I’d leave out the tomato paste. Just adds more acidity to a spicy dish. Used puréed, freshly jarred Italian tomatoes from the garden. Would use fresh unseeded tomatoes when in season for chunkier sauce. Don’t leave out the shredded cheese and sour cream toppers! They really temper the spices and add pleasant flavor.
By far the best chili I have ever made, and now a family classic! Flavorful, but not hot or spicy (I leave out the hot sauce). Love to serve this with a “topping bar” with lots of options so everyone can customize to their own taste. Can serve pickled jalapeños and Tapatio to turn up the heat. Delicious!
I love this chili recipe and have used it time and time again. It’s easy to make and tastes even better the next day. I personally don’t like the cocoa powder, so I usually leave that out or just add 1 tsp. Add some chili peppers like red Fresno or jalapeno if you like it a little more spicy! Works well with or without the bacon, and ground turkey works just as well as the beef.
Very tasty. The only change I make is using pieces of beef instead of ground beef.
Won my running club chili competition. I doubled the tomatoes and used a whole can of tomato paste. I also cooked a jalapeño with the onions and peppers and added a small can of diced green chilies.
My go to recipe. Moose Drool Beer works well.
Great recipe. The flavors are very rich and it is very easy to make.