Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Produce
- 2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
- 4 garlic, minced
Meat & Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 800 g ground beef, raw
- 250 ml beef broth, low-sodium
Spices & Seasoning
- 20 g chili powder
- 10 g ground cumin
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 3 g dried oregano
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Canned Goods
- 30 g tomato paste
- 800 g diced tomatoes, canned, undrained
- 400 g red kidney beans, canned, drained and rinsed well
Serving
- 600 g long grain white rice, cooked and warm
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare all vegetables. Dice the yellow onions and red bell pepper uniformly. Finely dice the jalapeno, removing the seeds if you prefer less heat. Mince the garlic.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the ground beef to the Dutch oven. Break it apart with your wooden spoon and cook until heavily browned and no pink remains, ensuring it reaches a safe internal food temperature of 74C/165F.
Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spices become highly fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and stir it into the meat mixture, letting it cook and darken slightly for 1 minute. Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes and the drained, rinsed kidney beans. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.
Cover the Dutch oven with the lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Simmer gently for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from scorching. The chili will thicken and the flavors will meld.
Remove from heat and let the chili rest for 10 minutes. Ladle the hot chili over bowls of warm cooked white rice.
Chef's Notes
- Blooming the dried spices in the beef fat allows the fat-soluble flavor compounds to release, resulting in a much deeper, more complex flavor profile than simply stirring spices into liquid.
- For an incredible umami boost, try adding a tablespoon of soy sauce or a shot of brewed espresso during the deglazing step. It will not taste like coffee or soy, but rather elevate the beefy richness.
- Time is an ingredient in chili. While you can eat it after 30 minutes of simmering, allowing it to cook for the full hour and a half breaks down the collagen in the meat, resulting in a superior texture.
- Chili invariably tastes better on the second day. The proteins absorb the savory liquid and the complex spice notes harmonize completely in the refrigerator overnight.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavor deepens and improves after a day in the refrigerator.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions for easy meal prep. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 74C/165F.
