Soups & Stews

crowdsource Community Insights

This one really comes down to the beans. People who made it found rinsing mattered, especially when the beans were packed in salty liquid, because a good rinse cut that extra salt. Mixing different types, navy, black, and kidney, tended to give uneven textures and other problems, and the cooks who used dried kidney beans in particular ran into trouble. People who started from dried beans generally liked the results better than those who relied on canned. The takeaway people passed along was: rinse your beans, avoid tossing a bunch of different bean types together, and consider dried beans for more consistent texture and flavor.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Chili peppers, halved, seeds removed, diced (or fresh chilis, dried chilis, a mixture of fresh and dried, bell pepper (mild))
• Onion, roughly chopped
• Oil
• 2 can Tomatoes, crushed (or puréed tomatoes, tomatillos (to make a green chili))
• 3-4 can Beans, undrained (or soaked dried beans (soak overnight))
• Beef
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Oregano, dried
• Garlic powder
• Cayenne
• Mustard powder
• Salt, to taste
• Chocolate, chips or small pieces (or Mexican chocolate, dark chocolate chips)

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Cut the chilis (or bell pepper) in half and pull out the seeds; remove the ribs if you want to limit heat, then slice into strips and dice.
2. Roughly chop the onion.
3. Heat some oil in a big pot over pretty high heat.
4. Add the chopped onion and chilis (and optional carrots or cauliflower) to the pot and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes to soften.
5. Add canned tomatoes and beans: I am using two big cans of crushed (fire roasted) tomatoes and three to four cans of beans with their liquid undrained; roughly equal quantities of tomatoes and beans is a good starting point, though you may prefer extra tomato.
6. Add spices from the spice rack to taste: cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and garlic powder are standard; add cayenne if you want heat and mustard powder for extra pungency. Add only a pinch of salt because the canned goods are already salty.
7. Bring the pot to a simmer. If using canned beans, simmer for about a half hour. If using soaked dried beans, simmer at least 1 to 2 hours until the beans are soft.
8. Stir in a little dark or Mexican chocolate (or dark chocolate chips) and melt it into the stew.
9. Taste and adjust spices and salt as needed, adding more smoked paprika, cumin, mustard powder, or cayenne to suit your preference.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1 brown onion, medium diced
• 5 clove garlic, small diced
• 5g flat leaf parsley, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg beef mince
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 800g diced tomatoes, diced or crushed (or crushed tomatoes)
• 400g kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 cup jasmine rice, washed under cold water
• 3 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• Sour cream
• Fresh coriander (or coriander)
• 1 star anise
• 3 cardamom pods

book_ribbon Instructions

Chili

1. Slice the large brown onion in half, trim the ends, peel, then thinly slice and cut into a medium dice; set aside.
2. Place the side of a knife on each garlic clove, crush, then thinly slice and roughly chop until small; set aside.
3. Scrunch 5 grams flat leaf parsley into a tight ball and thinly slice; set aside.
4. Place a large pan over high heat until hot, add 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil.
5. Add the diced onion, mix and sweat (cook without color) for 3 minutes, stirring very frequently.
6. Add the chopped garlic and continue sweating for 45 seconds, stirring constantly.
7. Add 1 kilogram (2.3 pounds) beef mince, break it up, mix well and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Season the mince with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes and 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper and continue cooking until most of the rendered fat is evaporated.
9. Add 2 tablespoons (2 grams) dried oregano, 2 teaspoons (4 grams) smoked paprika, 3 tablespoons (16 grams) ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon (0.2 grams) cayenne pepper (optional); then add 2 tablespoons (35 grams) tomato paste, mix and fry for 1 minute.
10. Pour in 1/2 cup (125 milliliters) beef stock and 800 grams (28 ounces) diced or crushed tomatoes, mix to combine.
11. Season with 1 to 1.5 teaspoons sea salt flakes and 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, mix and bring the mixture to a boil.
12. Reduce heat to low, place a lid on the pan and simmer for 1 hour, checking every 20 minutes: at each 20-minute check remove the lid and stir, then replace the lid.
13. After 40 minutes of total simmer time, remove the lid, add 400 grams (14 ounces) rinsed kidney beans and the chopped parsley, mix, then add another 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes and 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper and mix again.
14. Place the lid back on and simmer for the remaining 20 minutes.

Rice

1. Place a large saucepan on the stovetop, add 2 cups (390 grams) washed jasmine rice, 1 star anise and 3 cardamom pods, then pour in 3 3/4 cups (860 milliliters) cold water.
2. Bring to a boil, then place a lid on the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 14 minutes without touching the rice.
3. After 14 minutes remove the saucepan from the heat and leave the lid on for 5 minutes to steam.
4. Remove the lid, discard the star anise and cardamom pods, and gently fluff the rice with a fork.

Finish and Serve

1. Remove the lid from the chili, turn off the heat and give it one last mix.
2. Spoon the rice into a serving dish, spoon the chili over the rice, add a spoon of sour cream and top with fresh coriander (cilantro).

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Easy To Customize: Home cooks often adapt it to what they have without issue.

grocery Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Red bell pepper
• Garlic
• Ground cumin
• Paprika
• Chili powder, mild (or hot chili powder)
• Beef mince
• Beef stock
• Dried oregano
• Sugar, to taste
• Tomato puree
• Canned chopped tomatoes
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• Kidney beans
• Sour cream
• Fresh coriander leaves

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Heat a little olive oil in a hot pan until shimmering.
2. Add the onion with a generous pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent.
3. Add the red bell pepper and garlic to the pan.
4. Add ground cumin, paprika and mild chili powder and cook on moderate heat, stirring, until the spices are fragrant but not burnt.
5. Add the beef mince, break it up, and brown thoroughly (work in batches if your pan is small so the meat browns rather than steams).
6. Pour in the beef stock, add dried oregano, a little sugar, canned chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, then season with salt and a few cracks of black pepper; stir to combine.
7. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, cover, and leave to gently simmer for about 30 minutes; if it reduces too much, add a splash more stock. (The video also notes the sauce may have bubbled and thickened after 20 minutes.)
8. When the sauce has thickened/reduced, stir in the kidney beans, then cook uncovered for another 10 minutes.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and more black pepper as needed.
10. Serve the chilli with a hearty dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves.
11. The host notes this freezes well: portion into freezer-proof containers and freeze for up to 3 months. She also notes it can be made in a pressure cooker or slow cooker as alternatives.

crowdsource Community Insights

This chili comes together when you get a couple of basics right. Most people who browned and caramelized the meat (brown the beef and bacon before adding any water) got a deeper, more satisfying base; those who skipped that step said it fell flat. Soak the beans overnight so they cook properly and don’t turn out mealy. One more thing: people who tried kidney beans weren’t happy with the result, so most avoid them. Follow those three points and you’ll dodge the common traps folks ran into with this recipe.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1/2 lb (227g) ground beef
• 4 cup water
• 2 slice bacon, cut into big pieces
• 1 1/2 cup kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup red salsa (or tomato)
• 3/4 cup celery
• 1 1/2 cup onion, large
• 4-5 clove garlic, coarsely cut
• 3-4 tbsp jalapeño pepper
• 1/4 cup cilantro stems, frozen
• Cheddar cheese, strong
• Cilantro
• Tortilla
• Iceberg lettuce

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Cut the bacon into big pieces.
2. Rinse the beans under cold water.
3. In a pot combine the ground beef, 4 cups water (start with cold water), the bacon pieces, the rinsed beans, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Prepare the vegetables and garnish: measure about 1/2 cup red salsa (or tomato), 3/4 cup celery, about 1 1/2 cups onion (or 1 large, ~10 ounces), 4–5 cloves garlic (cut very coarsely), about 3–4 tablespoons jalapeño, and about 1/4 cup frozen cilantro stems (cut while frozen).
6. After 1 1/2 hours add the salsa (or tomato), celery, onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro stems to the pot.
7. Bring the pot to a boil again, then reduce to low heat and cook for another hour, adjusting time as needed until the beans are tender.
8. Optional/further notes: you can soak the beans overnight to shorten cooking, or cook the beans in a pressure cooker to go faster.
9. Serve the chili in tortillas or in iceberg lettuce leaves and top with strong cheddar cheese, minced onion, and a little cilantro if desired.

grocery Ingredients

• 2 tsp cumin seed, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp coriander seed, toasted and ground
• Mexican oregano, lightly broken (or Italian oregano)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Salt, to taste
• Garlic, minced
• Red bell pepper, diced
• Jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
• Tomato paste (or tomato sauce)
• Ground beef (or ground turkey, ground chicken, a few different types of beans)
• Red kidney beans
• Fire-roasted tomatoes
• Beef stock (or chicken stock, beer)
• Vegetable stock
• White wine
• Sour cream
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Fresh cilantro
• Scallions
• Tortilla chips
• Lime

book_ribbon Instructions

Make chili powder

1. Heat a dry skillet until hot, then lower to medium.
2. Add 2 teaspoons cumin seed and toast, stirring, until slightly darker and very aromatic; remove and let cool to room temperature.
3. Toast 1 teaspoon coriander seed in the same pan until aromatic and slightly caramelized; remove and let cool.
4. Grind the cooled toasted cumin and coriander in a mortar and pestle or in a clean, dry spice/coffee grinder until finely ground.
5. Break up the Mexican oregano leaves (skip this step if using Italian oregano) and add to the ground seeds.
6. Whisk in 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, a little less than 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to finish the chili powder blend.

Cook chili

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium.
2. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to barely cover the bottom of the pot.
3. Add onion and salt and sweat, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
4. Add minced garlic and cook about 1 minute until aromatic, being careful not to burn.
5. Add diced red bell pepper and the seeded, diced jalapeño and cook until the peppers are slightly tender, glossy, and heated through.
6. Add the homemade chili powder to the hot aromatics so the spices can bloom; cook briefly and stir to avoid burning. If there is caramelization on the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a little vegetable stock or white wine.
7. Add tomato paste and brown it, cooking until it deepens in color.
8. Add the ground beef and break it up; brown thoroughly to develop caramelization and flavor before adding any water or stock.
9. Add red kidney beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and beef stock; give a gentle mix and bring to a low boil.
10. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
11. Taste and adjust for salt and heat before serving.
12. Plate and serve garnished with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, scallions, tortilla chips, and fresh lime wedges for squeezing.