Kyle's Chili

Kyle Haas

beef chili comfort food

Serves 6 hungry Americans or 10 normal people — real dried chiles, two kinds of beans, and a slow oven braise

Servings

8

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

3 hr

Calories

—

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs 80% lean ground beef
  • 2 Tbsp water, plus 2 cups water
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • 6 dried ancho chiles or 3 dried chipotle chiles
  • 1 oz tortilla chips, crushed (¼ cup)
  • 2 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ onion, chopped fine, plus 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans
  • 2 tsp sugar

Optional Toppings

  • Lime wedges
  • Cheddar or Jack cheese
  • Coarsely chopped cilantro
  • Chopped red onion
  • Sour cream
  • Avocado

Directions

  1. Set an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 275°F. Toss the beef with 2 tablespoons water, the salt, and the baking soda until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, toast the dried chiles in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 4–6 minutes — reduce the heat if the anchos begin to smoke. Transfer to a food processor and let cool.
  3. Add the tortilla chips, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, thyme, half the can of tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons pepper to the processor with the toasted chiles. Process into a fine paste, about 2 minutes.
  4. Heat the oil in the now-empty pot over medium-high until shimmering. Cook the finely minced onion until softened, 4–6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, breaking it into ¼-inch pieces, until browned with fond forming on the pot bottom, 12–14 minutes. Add the chipotles in adobo and cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
  5. Add the remaining 2 cups water, the chopped onion, the green pepper, the remaining tomatoes, the beans with their liquid, the sugar, and the chile-spice purée. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook until the meat is tender and the chili has thickened slightly, 2–3 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes.
  6. Let stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir any fat on the surface back in, then serve with your favorite toppings.

  Chef's Tips

The baking soda soak keeps the beef tender through the long cook. Toast the dried chiles gently — if the anchos start smoking, back the heat off. Chili can be made up to 3 days in advance and only gets better.