Recipe Background
Hearty beef and bean chili with deep, robust flavors and creamy beans.
A hearty pot of beef and bean chili envelops your kitchen with a comforting aroma. As it simmers, the deep fragrance of cumin and chili powder mingles gracefully with the sweet tang of tomatoes. This dish balances spicy warmth with a subtle earthiness, while the beans bring a delightful creaminess to every bite. Brown the beef until its edges deepen—this simple step draws out a robust, complex flavor from the meat that forms the foundation of the chili.
Each bowl promises a medley of textures. Tender chunks of beef nestle among soft kidney and pinto beans, punctuated by the gentle crunch of crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar sprinkling over top. The masa harina thickens the chili, giving it a rustic, satisfying body. A sprinkle of fresh jalapeños adds a moment of lively heat, but this is a dish that can be personalized to suit anyone’s spice threshold.
Serve this chili at your next gathering, where it’s sure to spark conversations and maybe even a few recipe requests. It's the kind of meal that’s just as enjoyable in a crowd as it is on a quiet evening at home. This shared experience, the joy of a communal pot, aligns perfectly with the comforting essence of the dish itself.
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 4 pounds ground beef
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chili powder plus more, to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus more, to taste
- 2 cups water divided
- 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup corn flour (masa harina) or regular cornmeal
For topping:
- cheddar to taste, shredded
- bacon to taste, cooked and crumbled
- jalapeños to taste, sliced
Directions
- In a large heavy pot, brown the ground beef with the garlic until the meat is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain off most of the excess fat from the pot, leaving a little behind for moisture and flavor.
- Add the tomato sauce, the tomato paste, 1/4 cup of the chili powder, the cumin, the oregano, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne to the meat mixture and stir well.
- Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1 1/2 cups of water if the liquid level seems low, until the flavors come together, about 1 hour.
- Stir the kidney beans and the pinto beans into the chili.
- In a bowl, combine the corn flour with the remaining 1/2 cup of water and stir with a fork until it is smooth.
- Stir the corn flour mixture into the chili.
- Let the chili simmer until it has thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Taste the chili for seasoning, adding the extra chili powder, the extra salt, and the extra cayenne, as needed.
- Serve the chili with the cheddar cheese, the bacon, and the jalapeños.
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