Weeknight Ground Beef and Bean Chili

This ground beef and kidney bean chili is a one-pot weeknight dinner: about 15 minutes of chopping and browning, then 40 minutes of gentle simmering while you do something else. It feeds 6, tastes better the next day and freezes well.

Serves: 6 · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: about 1 hour

Allergens: none of the common allergens in the chili itself, but check your broth, which can contain soy or gluten. The usual toppings (cheese, sour cream) contain dairy; swaps are below.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola
• 2 lb (900 g) ground beef, 85% lean
• 1½ teaspoons (9 g) fine salt, divided
• 1 large onion (about 10 oz / 285 g), finely chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper (about 6 oz / 170 g), chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons (about 22 g) chili powder
• 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) smoked or sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, for more heat
• 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup (240 ml) beef or chicken broth
• 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar or lime juice

To serve (optional): shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, tortilla chips.

Steps

1. Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, at least 5 quarts (4.7 litres), over medium-high heat. Add the beef in an even layer, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon (3 g) of the salt and leave it alone for 4–5 minutes, until the underside is well browned. Then break it up and cook until no pink remains, about 4 more minutes. Leaving it undisturbed at first is what browns it; stirring constantly lets the meat release water and steam grey.
2. Cook the vegetables. Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Toast the spices. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne if using, and the tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens and the spices smell strong. Ground spices give up much more flavour in hot fat than in liquid, and the paste loses its raw, tinny edge.
4. Simmer. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth and remaining 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift the browned bits. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so it bubbles gently. Partly cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not catch on the bottom.
5. Add the beans. Stir in the kidney beans and simmer, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes more, until the chili is as thick as you like. Canned beans are already cooked; adding them late keeps them whole instead of breaking down into the sauce.
6. Finish and taste. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar or lime juice. A little acid at the end sharpens the flavours after a long simmer. Taste and add more salt, chili powder or cayenne as needed.

Safe temperature for ground beef

The USDA safe minimum for ground beef is 160°F (71°C). Grinding spreads any bacteria from the surface of the meat all the way through, so ground beef needs to be cooked through in a way a steak does not. In this recipe the beef cooks well past that point during the simmer, but if you adapt it, check with an instant-read thermometer rather than going by colour. The same thermometer is what tells you when a roast chicken is done, at 165°F (74°C) in the thigh.

Make it your own

• Spicier: add 1–2 finely chopped jalapeños with the onion, or a chopped chipotle in adobo with the tomatoes.
• Leaner: use 90% lean beef or ground turkey. Turkey and other ground poultry need to reach 165°F (74°C).
• Different beans: black or pinto beans work in the same amount.
• Dairy-free toppings: sliced avocado, diced raw onion and a squeeze of lime instead of cheese and sour cream.

Storage and reheating

Cool the chili quickly by spreading it into shallow containers, and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. It keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, and for 2–3 months in the freezer for best quality. Thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring and adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened, until it is steaming hot and reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout.