Chili con Carne

Name: Chili con Carne
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 4 dried ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed; 2 dried guajillo or chipotle chilies, stems and seeds removed; 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock, Brown Stock or store-bought, hot; 750 g (1⅔ lb) beef chuck, in 2 cm cubes; 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ground beef, 20% fat; 16 g (2⅔ tsp) fine sea salt, divided; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 2 onions, chopped; 5 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 2 tsp dried oregano, Mexican if possible; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 can (14 oz) chopped tomatoes, 400 g; 2 cans (2 × 14 oz) kidney or pinto beans, 2 × 400 g, drained and rinsed; 15 g (½ oz) dark chocolate or cocoa powder, optional, for depth; 1 tbsp cider vinegar; sour cream, grated cheddar, sliced scallions, lime, to serve

Beef chuck slow-cooked with toasted dried chilies, cumin and beans

Serves: 6
Hands-on: 45 min
Total: 3 h 30 min
Level: Some skill

Chili con carne is generally traced to Texas, where it began as a stew of beef and dried chilies; beans came later and are now standard almost everywhere outside Texas. This version uses chunks of chuck and ground beef for texture, a paste of toasted dried chilies for deep, fruity heat, and a long, slow simmer. It's even better the next day.

Ingredients

4dried ancho chiliesstems and seeds removed
2dried guajillo or chipotle chiliesstems and seeds removed
500 mlbeef stock (2 cups)Brown Stock or store-bought, hot
750 gbeef chuck (1⅔ lb)in 2 cm cubes
500 gground beef (1 lb 2 oz)20% fat
16 gfine sea salt (2⅔ tsp)divided
2 tbspneutral oil
2onionschopped
5 clovesgarlicchopped
1 tbspground cumin
2 tspdried oreganoMexican if possible
1 tspsmoked paprika
2 tbsptomato paste
1 canchopped tomatoes (14 oz)400 g
2 canskidney or pinto beans (2 × 14 oz)2 × 400 g, drained and rinsed
15 gdark chocolate or cocoa powder (½ oz)optional, for depth
1 tbspcider vinegar
sour cream, grated cheddar, sliced scallions, limeto serve

Diet: Gluten-free
Allergens: celery, milk, sulphites
Origin: United States (Texas)
Season: Autumn, Winter

Method

Toast the dried chilies in a dry frying pan over medium heat, pressing flat, until fragrant and pliable, 20–30 seconds a side. Don't let them smoke. Soak in the hot stock for 20 minutes, then blend chilies and stock until smooth. 20 min
Season the chuck cubes with 8 g salt. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the cubes in 2 batches until crusty on two sides, 6–8 minutes per batch. Set aside. 15 min
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and any liquid has evaporated, 6–8 minutes. 7 min
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until soft, 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and tomato paste and stir 2 minutes until dark and fragrant. 10 min
Add the chili purée, tomatoes, browned chuck and remaining 8 g salt. Bring to a simmer, cover partly and cook gently, stirring now and then, until the beef cubes are tender, 2–2½ hours. Add water if it gets too thick. 2 h 15 min
Stir in the beans and chocolate and simmer uncovered 15 minutes to thicken. Stir in the vinegar. The chili will be far above the safe 71°C (160°F); simmer until the beef cubes are tender, which is the real test. 15 min
Taste for salt and heat. Serve with sour cream, cheese, scallions, lime and rice (Perfect Rice) or Skillet Cornbread.

Why it works

Dried chilies give chili its depth: toasting briefly wakes up their oils, and soaking and blending them makes a smooth, fruity paste that ground chili powder can't match. Two kinds of beef give two textures — shreddy, tender chunks from the collagen-rich chuck and a thick, meaty sauce from the ground beef. A splash of vinegar at the end brightens flavors dulled by long cooking.

Common mistakes

Burning the dried chilies, which makes the whole pot bitter. Seconds per side is enough.
Rushing it. Chuck needs at least 2 hours to turn tender.
Adding beans at the start, so they disintegrate.

Variations

Texas red: Skip the beans and tomatoes, use 1.25 kg chuck only, and thicken at the end with 2 tbsp masa harina whisked into water.
Faster version: Use 1 kg ground beef only and simmer 45 minutes; use 2 tbsp chili powder if you have no dried chilies.

Make ahead and storage

Better made 1–2 days ahead. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes for 4 months.

Notes

Dried chilies are in Mexican shops and many supermarkets. Chocolate is optional; check its label for milk and soy. If your stock is a cube, check for celery and gluten.