Homemade Beef and Bean Chilli

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 600 g raw minced beef, 90% lean / 10% fat
• 480 g fully cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed; use canned beans for convenience
• 240 g fully cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
• 800 g canned crushed tomatoes, including their juices
• 200 g peeled onion, finely diced
• 200 g red bell pepper, trimmed and diced
• 4 garlic cloves (12 g), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (13.5 g)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30 g)
• 250 ml prepared lower-sodium beef broth (about 250 g)
• 2 tablespoons mild American-style chili powder spice blend (16 g), not pure ground hot chilli
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (4 g)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (4 g)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (0.5 g)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare and weigh the drained beans, chopped vegetables and spices before starting. Use fully cooked beans; this recipe is not a method for cooking dried kidney beans.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pot of at least 4 litres over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring, until softened.
3. Add the minced beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Break it into small pieces and cook for 7-9 minutes until browned, allowing excess released water to evaporate. Ground beef must reach 71°C / 160°F; it will also continue cooking in the sauce.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder blend, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne and black pepper; cook for about 1 minute, stirring so the spices do not scorch.
5. Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits. Add all the crushed tomatoes and juices and stir well.
6. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer partially covered for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking.
7. Add the drained kidney beans, black beans and measured salt. Simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the beef and beans.
8. If the chilli becomes too thick before the flavors have developed, add plain water 2 tablespoons at a time. If it is too loose, simmer for a few extra minutes uncovered. Do not add uncooked flour to thicken it.
9. Taste only after the beef is fully cooked. Adjust seasoning cautiously, especially if the broth or beans were salted. Adding extra sugar, oil or toppings changes the calculated nutrition.
10. Let the chilli stand off the heat for 5 minutes, then divide the finished pot into 6 equal servings. Rice, tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream and other accompaniments are not included in the recipe nutrition.