Homemade Chili Beans with Beef
We are starting with dried red beans and making this pot of chili beans from scratch.
This recipe has a nice bit of heat to it from the spices and a chipotle pepper but it is not so hot that it distorts the flavors of the rest of the dish. There is a generous amount of lean ground beef which, with the vegetables and savory herbs all lend flavor to the beans.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry red beans or 4 cans (14.5 ounces each) beans of choice
- 2 pounds lean (15%) ground beef chuck
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
- 2 green jalepeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 cans (14.5 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 chipotle pepper, mashed to a paste (not the whole can)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 to 3 tablespoons chili powder (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smokey paprika
- Fresh Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the red beans according to the manufacturers’ directions, drain and reserve. If using the canned beans, rinse them under cold water and drain and reserve.
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, add the ground beef breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the salt over the ground beef and cook until brown. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and chopped jalapeno peppers and continue to cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the cilantro, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, broth, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir to combine well then stir in the reserved beans.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to its lowest point, put a lid on the pot, and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro.
Notes
Do not use the whole can of chipotle peppers. You only need one pepper from the can and you can freeze the leftover peppers.
Chili powder varies in spice level from brand to brand. Use the smaller amount listed if you aren't sure how hot your chili powder is. You can add additional chili powder to taste if you want it spicier.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1-1/2 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 544mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 30g
Nutrition information is a guideline only, is calculated automatically by third-party software, and absolute accuracy is not guaranteed.