![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.25.jpeg]] ## Description There's two ways to make a chili con carne; you can either the traditional way of just peppers and beef (with no beans or tomatoes) which comes out more like a stew, or the more modern version which includes the beans and tomatoes. I unashamedly go for the latter here, seeing as by definition it's supposed to be a flexible dinner where you throw anything in. This beefed-up (hah) version of chili con carne has way more depth of flavour than the standard recipes. The final dish comes out with a much better texture and it tastes smokier and meatier than other recipes. We achieve this by browning the meat in a searing-hot pan early on, adding chorizo, wine and beer, and baking the stew as a final step. >[!Tip] >This can absolutely be done over a barbeque. Either cook this from scratch on a cool part of the barbeque, or finish off the dish by baking it on a barbeque for twenty minutes. ###### Prep time: 30-45 mins ###### Cook time: 2 hours ## Ingredients Makes 8 portions - [[Beef]] mince, 500g (one pound) ~ 10-18% fat works well - [[Chorizo]], one link or around 250g - [[Peppers]], two bell and two speciality (such as adobe, poblano etc) - [[Onions]], two medium - [[Celery]], half a stalk - [[Beans]], two cans of different beans (I recommend kidney and cannellini) - [[Garlic]] and [[Garlic Powder]], six cloves and 2 tablespoons - [[Paprika]], 2 tablespoons (I recommend a sweet paprika like a pimentón de la vera) - One small [[Beer]] (330ml) - One glass of [[Wine]] (250ml) - [[Tomatoes]], 1 can - [[Oregano]], 1 tablespoon (~5g) - [[Parsley]], 1 tablespoon (~5g) - [[Stock cube]], beef - Chili powder, to your taste >[!Note] >It can be very tempting to see the relatively low amount of meat in this dish and think it's way too little for a chili; don't increase it! This chili does reduce down considerably. Likewise, a lot of the flavour in this dish comes from everything but the beef - increasing the amount of mince paradoxically makes the dish less meaty. ### Recommended tools A large, heavy pot ## Method 1. Salt and pepper your beef mince, turn your stove up to high, and sear your mince on both sides in the pot, as one big block for around 5 minutes. Remove everything from the pot, deglaze with a small amount of vinegar (if necessary) and set aside. Turn your stove off. 2. While you're waiting, dice your chorizo, around 1-2 centimeter cubes. Add these to the cooling pan, primarily to render the fat for cooking the veg. Remove and set aside. 3. Roughly dice your peppers, onions and celery and add to the pot with salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar. Mince the garlic and add. Fry them with the lid on, stirring occasionally, on a low heat at least half an hour. ![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.26 (2).jpeg]] 4. Re-add your chorizo and fry for another half-hour if you have the time. ![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.27 (1).jpeg]] Towards the end of this step, your chili should look like this: ![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.26 (1).jpeg]] 5. Add your herbs and spices but don't mix - put the lid on and leave the herbs to soak up steam for 2 minutes. 6. While this is happening, drain your beans, add them and mix. Turn the heat up to medium. ![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.26.jpeg]] 7. Add your wine, beer and can of tomato, throw in a bay leaf (if available), and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the same time, preheat your oven for 200 degrees Celsius (~390 Fahrenheit).![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.25 (2).jpeg]] 8. Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes, with the lid partially covering the pot. ![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.25 (1).jpeg]] 9. Voila! Serve with rice/jacket potato, and sour cream. ![[WhatsApp Image 2025-07-30 at 01.18.25.jpeg]]