Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
Meat
- 500 g ground beef
Spices & Flavorings
- 10 g ground cumin
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 30 g chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 3 g dried oregano
- 10 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Liquids & Beans
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 240 ml beef broth
- 240 g red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Using a chef knife and cutting board, dice the yellow onion and red bell pepper. Mince the garlic and finely chop the chipotle peppers. Keep these ingredients separate from the area where you will handle raw meat.
Place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, allowing it to warm until shimmering.
Add the diced yellow onion and red bell pepper to the pot. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened.
Add the ground beef to the pot. Break the meat apart with the wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking until no pink remains and the meat reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. Wash your hands and any utensils that touched the raw meat thoroughly with soap and hot water to prevent cross-contamination.
Stir the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, chopped chipotle peppers, kosher salt, and black pepper into the beef mixture. Cook briefly to bloom the spices in the rendered fat.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and the rinsed red kidney beans. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon to lift up any browned bits. Stir well to combine.
Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot and simmer, maintaining a gentle bubbling action around 90°C/195°F. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from scorching.
Remove the pot from the heat and take off the lid entirely. Allow the chili to rest undisturbed before serving. This cooling period lets the starches from the beans thicken the residual liquid and allows the flavors to settle.
Chef's Notes
- Blooming the dry spices and chipotle peppers directly in the hot rendered beef fat is a crucial technique. It releases the essential oils of the cumin and paprika, creating a much richer and more deeply permeated flavor profile.
- For the best texture and flavor, use an 80/20 ground beef. The rendered fat adds essential moisture and acts as a carrier for the fat-soluble flavor compounds found in the chilies and spices.
- Chili is a dish that notoriously improves with time. Making this a day ahead allows the starches in the beans to subtly thicken the sauce, while the smoky adobo notes fully penetrate the ground meat.
- When using canned chipotles in adobo, you will likely have leftovers. Freeze the remaining peppers and sauce flat in a small zip-top plastic bag. You can easily break off a small frozen chunk whenever you need a boost of smoky heat for future recipes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Flavors deepen and improve significantly overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions for easy reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until bubbling, or microwave in 1-minute intervals stirring in between.
