I love making chili in the fall and winter. It’s one of those great meals to have on hand for busy school weeks. I often make a double batch and freeze some. It’s one of those meals you can leave on the stove and feed the family in shifts — when schedules don’t allow us to all eat together.
This recipe is from Cooking Light (with just a couple of changes). It was featured on the January/February cover earlier this year.
While I like my chili spicier than this version, this is a great “family” chili. And, since my family loves steak, this has become one of our family’s favorite chilis.
Beef & Pinto Bean Chili
Ingredients:
1 lb. Boneless Chuck Roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 tsp. Salt, divided
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
4 cups Onion, chopped (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup Jalapeno Peppers, minced (2 large)
10 Garlic cloves, minced
1 12 oz. bottle of Beer
1 Tbs. Paprika (Smoked, preferred)
1 Tbs. Ground Cumin
2 Tbs. Tomato Paste
3 cups Fat-Free Beef Broth
1 28 oz. can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 15 oz. can of Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
Garnish Options:
1 Avocado, peeled and chopped
6 Tbs. Cilantro leaves, chopped
Sour Cream
Grated cheese
6 Lime Wedges
Directions:
1. Coat dutch oven with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1/4 tsp. salt. Add beef to pan and saute 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan.
2. Add olive oil to pan, swirling to coat bottom. Add onion and jalapeno. Saute 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid almost evaporates (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Stir in paprika, cumin and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
4. Add broth, tomatoes, beans and beef. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and beef is very tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt.
5. Ladle chili into serving bowls. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese and lime wedges.
