How to Make Chili
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Adorn Your Chili Bowl
Nothing says “party!” like a good pot of chili; even if it turns out to be just the company of two and not a party of six or ten. Steaming bowls of meaty, spicy chili are the ideal way to please everyone—and only dirty one pot in the process. The deep, slow-simmered flavor in our Beef and Pinto Bean Chili recipe happens in just an hour or two on your stovetop. For those times when you don’t have a crowd to feed, keep in mind that chili is a soul-warming meal that tends to taste even better the next day.
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Your Mise En Place
PROTEIN:
Boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut
DAIRY:
Sour cream
FRESH PRODUCE:
Onion, chopped
Jalapeño peppers, minced
Garlic cloves, minced
Radish, thinly sliced
Avocado, peeled and chopped
Fresh cilantro leaves
Lime, cut in wedges
FLAVOR BOOSTERS:
Cooking spray
Salt
Canola oil
Paprika
Ground cumin
Tomato paste
Canned whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
Canned pinto beans, rinsed
LIQUID:
Beer
Fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Sharp knife
Colander
Dutch oven
Large bowl
Ladle
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1. Sauté your steak.
Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1⁄8 teaspoon salt. Add beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer beef to a large bowl.
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2. Cook your veggies.
Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and jalapeño; cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Can’t find dried chiles? Try substituting fresh versions of the same peppers—jalapeño for the chipotle and poblanos for the ancho chile.
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3. Boil your booze.
Stir in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil.
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4. Boost your flavors.
Cook until liquid almost evaporates (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Stir in paprika, cumin, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
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5. Simmer your soup.
Return beef to pan. Add broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 11⁄2 hours or until mixture is thick and beef is very tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt.
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6. Serve your supper.
Ladle 1 cup chili into each of 6 bowls. Divide radish and avocado evenly among bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1 tablespoon sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.
For a three-alarm chili, leave the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños and let the sour cream's cooling effect tame the flame.
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Variation 1: Chili Con Carne
This Texas-style chili packs a smoky punch from the mild poblanos and the hot chipotle chile. Rinsing the chipotle mellows the heat; skip that step for more fire.
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Variation 2: Bison Chili with Chickpeas and Acorn Squash
This chili is a new take on the classic cold-weather, one-pot meal. It's amped up with rich ground bison, that takes the place of ground beef, and chunks of sweet acorn squash.