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Classic Beef Chili with Beans

Baking soda tenderizes the ground beef in this richly flavored classic chili.
Servings 6 or more

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ounce corn tortilla chips, crushed, 1/4 cup (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon New Mexico red chile powder (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder (not garlic salt—see Kitchen Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 14-1/2 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 15-ounce cans beans, drained and rinsed (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Possible garnishes

  • chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream

Instructions

  • Mix beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Use your hands to do this—it's the best way to get it all mixed together. Set aside for 20 minutes.
  • Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275ºF.
  • Put tortilla chips, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, thyme, both chile powders and 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper in a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. Process tomatoes and their juice in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy, oven-safe lidded pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add beef and cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break meat up into small pieces, until beef is browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Add spice mixture and chipotle. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add 2 cups water, sugar, tomato puree, tomato paste and beans. Bring to boil, scraping bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits.
  • Cover the pot, transfer to oven and cook 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (We did 2 hours.)
  • Remove chili from oven and let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in any fat that has risen to top of chili (it contains flavorful fat-soluble spices), then stir in vinegar and season with salt to taste.
  • Serve, along with the garnishes you prefer. This chili is even better the next day, so feel free to make ahead of time.

Kitchen Notes

Tortilla chips. These add a deliciously authentic touch, so get the best you can find. If you have access to Mexican grocery stores, that’s a good place to look.
Chile powders. We use a mix of two in this recipe for the flavors they each bring. Use whatever your favorite is. You can use less than the 4 teaspoons we did to control heat, but don’t dial back too much. Chiles are a big part of the classic flavor.
Paprika. We use Hungarian sweet paprika; the smoked varieties can add too much smokiness. A mix of sweet and smoky would also work.
Garlic powder, not salt. As the name implies, garlic powder is dehydrated garlic. If the name says salt, that is the main ingredient. Don’t use that.
Pick your beans. We often use a mix of beans in our chilis—black and pinto in this batch. You can do the same or just use pinto beans.