Go Back
A bowl of chili con carne with beans, topped with cheese, scallions, and chips, with a spoon, a cutting board, and bowls of toppings on the side.
Print Recipe
5 / 2 votes

Chili con Carne with Beans

This chili con carne with beans has endless layers of flavor thanks to a homemade chili powder, seared steak, beer, and cocoa powder.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 50 minutes
Total Time3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 528

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces dried ancho chile peppers (about 7 peppers), stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces
  • 1 ounce dried cascabel chile peppers (about 3 peppers), stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces
  • 3 tablespoons finely ground cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds,, toasted and ground
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 4 cups store-bought canned chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
  • 3 pounds chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 large (10 oz) red onion, chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 bottle (12 ounces) Mexican lager
  • 6 medium (1 1/4 lbs) plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • One (12-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Shredded Cheddar cheese, for serving (optional)
  • Optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, corn kernels, sliced jalapeños, corn chips, and sour cream
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a dry skillet over medium to medium-low heat, toast the ancho and cascabel chiles until fragrant and barely smoking, about 2 minutes. Place on a plate and let cool slightly.
  • Dump the cooled chiles into a food processor and process until they're ground to a fine powder, about 3 minutes. Add the cornmeal, cocoa powder, cumin, and oregano, and pulse to combine. Add 3/4 cup of the stock and process until a paste forms.
  • In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until it's shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the beef and sear, turning as necessary, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place the meat in a bowl.
  • Add the onion, garlic, jalapeños, and habanero, if using, to the pot and stir to coat with the drippings. Cover and cook for about 1 minute.
  • Pour in the beer and cook, stirring and scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes, beans, and brown sugar, and return the beef to the pan. Add the chile paste and the remaining 3 1/4 cups stock and stir until combined.
  • Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the chili has thickened, about 3 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If you prefer a more stick-to-your-ribs consistency to your chili, leave the lid off the pot for most of the 3 hours. 

  • Ladle into bowls and let each person add cheese and any other garnishes as desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 707mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g