Description
Hearty Mexican chilli con carne delivers robust flavors that dance across palates with spicy, rich complexity. Simmered beef, smoky spices, and tender beans create a soul-warming meal you’ll crave on cool evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) lean ground beef
- 1 x 15 ounces (425 grams) can kidney beans
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
Liquids, Spices, and Thickeners:
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup red wine
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 x 16 ounces (454 grams) cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 12 ounces (340 grams) can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2.5 teaspoons basil
- 2.5 teaspoons chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 0.5 teaspoon oregano
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons cornmeal
- 0.5 cup water
- 0.5 drops hot sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, sautéing diced bell peppers and onions until they become translucent and slightly caramelized, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Introduce ground beef to the skillet, breaking it into small crumbles and browning thoroughly until no pink remains, then pour in beef bouillon and red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful browned bits.
- Incorporate minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and paprika into the meat mixture, reducing heat and allowing the flavors to meld together during a slow 90-minute simmer.
- Gently fold in kidney beans and your preferred hot sauce, continuing to simmer for an additional 30 minutes to develop deeper, richer flavors.
- Create a thickening slurry by whisking flour, cornmeal, and water until smooth, then gradually stir into the chili, simmering for a final 10 minutes until the sauce reaches a hearty, rich consistency.
Notes
- Boost umami by using dark roasted beef or mixing ground meats like beef and pork for deeper flavor complexity.
- For gluten-free version, replace flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder to maintain proper thickening without wheat-based ingredients.
- Dial down heat intensity by removing seeds from chilies or using milder pepper varieties if serving sensitive palates.
- Enhance nutrition by incorporating additional vegetables like zucchini or carrots during initial sautéing stage for extra vitamins and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 130 mins
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 323 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg