Name: Trick-or-Treat Beef & Bean Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 lb ground beef (85% lean); 1 large yellow onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tbsp chili powder; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; ¼–½ tsp cayenne, to taste; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes; 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed; 1½ cups beef stock; 1½ tsp kosher salt; 2 tbsp masa harina or fine cornmeal, optional; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; Shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced green onions, pickled jalapeños; Buttermilk skillet cornbread (recipe on this site)

Trick-or-Treat Beef & Bean Chili

Halloween supper at our house has to be something that can sit on a low burner from six until nine, because nobody sits down for more than five minutes. This chili is it. Blooming the spices in the fat before the tomatoes go in is the step people skip, and it is the step that makes it taste like it cooked all day.

Prep

20 min

Cook

1 hr 15 min

Total

1 hr 35 min

Serves

Level

Easy

Method

Brown the beefHeat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in two batches and cook 8–10 minutes, breaking it up, until well browned. Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.
Soften the vegetablesAdd the onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes, until soft.
Bloom the spicesAdd the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, until the paste darkens and everything smells toasty.
SimmerAdd the crushed tomatoes, beans, stock and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook partly covered for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
ThickenFor a thicker chili, whisk the masa harina with ¼ cup water and stir it in. Simmer 5 minutes more.
FinishStir in the vinegar, taste and adjust salt and heat. Serve with toppings.

Kitchen notes

Chili tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
To hold for a party, keep it on the lowest burner setting with the lid on, stirring occasionally, or transfer to a slow cooker on Warm.
Ground beef must reach 160°F; browning it thoroughly in step 1 takes care of that.

Trick-or-Treat Beef & Bean Chili

Ingredients

For the chili

To serve

Method

Kitchen notes

Trick-or-Treat Beef & Bean Chili

Ingredients

For the chili

To serve

Method

Kitchen notes

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Roasted Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup with Toasted Pecans