Weeknight Beef Chili Recipes

SPEEDY WEEKNIGHT CHILI

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the beef, onions and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

CHILI CON CARNE (BEEF CHILI)

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onions powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and cinnamon; mix well and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
• Add the cubed beef to the hot oil; season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Stir occasionally.
• Using a slotted spoon remove the beef from the pot and set it aside on a plate.
• Add remaining olive oil to the pot and set it over medium heat.
• Add the onions to the heated oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in the diced jalapeno and diced pepper; continue to cook for 3 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, chipotle peppers, and chipotle sauce; season with 1 tablespoon of the prepared seasoning mix.
• Cook for 1 minute, then stir in the crushed tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and continue to cook for 1 more minute.
• Return the browned beef back to the pot.
• Add the beef broth and the beer; stir in the remaining seasoning mix.
• Increase heat and bring to a boil; then, reduce to a simmer and cover. Continue to cook for 45 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Remove lid and stir in the drained beans.
• Cover and continue to cook for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn the bottom of the pot.
• Taste for salt and pepper; adjust accordingly.
• Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a mixing bowl; pour into the pot, stir and cook for 1 minute, or until the chili starts to thicken.
• Remove pot from heat.
• Serve.

SLOW-COOKER WEEKNIGHT CHILI(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. Toast chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne, and pepper flakes in large Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer toasted spices to bowl. Add bacon to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels and pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot. Return pot to medium heat, add onions and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 2. Add beef, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, using wooden spoon to break up beef into 1/2-inch pieces, until just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain beef and vegetables in colander.
• 3. Add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and toasted spices to empty pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Return drained beef and vegetable mixture and bacon to pot, stir to combine, and bring to simmer. Transfer contents to slow-cooker insert.
• 4. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 hours, stirring in beans during last hour of cooking. (Alternately, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.) Adjust seasonings and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for several months.).
• Make Ahead: If you'd prefer to just dump the chili ingredients into the slow cooker before running off to work, you can do all the work the night before. Follow the recipe through step 3, but continue to simmer the assembled chili for 10 minutes. Transfer the chili to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, simmer the chili in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes, then transfer it to your slow cooker and proceed with step 4.