Classic Stovetop Ground Beef Chili

Name: Classic Stovetop Ground Beef Chili
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 1 h 24 min
Total time: 1 h 46 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 1 medium (150 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 2 pounds (907 g) 85% lean ground beef, cold, from the refrigerator; 3 tablespoons (24 g) chili powder; 1 tablespoon (7 g) ground cumin; 2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) cayenne pepper, for mild-medium heat; use ½ teaspoon for spicier chili (optional); 2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use 1½ teaspoons if using Morton or fine salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste; 15 ounce can (425 g) tomato sauce, plain, unseasoned; use the whole can, undrained; 14½ ounce can (411 g) diced tomatoes, undrained, with all the juice; 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon (4 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 15-ounce cans (850 g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, deeply savory beef chili built in one pot: browned ground beef, vegetables cooked in the beef fat, bloomed spices, tomato sauce and kidney beans simmered until rich and spoonable, with a splash of vinegar at the end to brighten everything.

Prep: 22 min
Cook: 1 hr 24 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 56 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
1 medium (150 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 pounds (907 g) 85% lean ground beef, cold, from the refrigerator
Spices
3 tablespoons (24 g) chili powder
1 tablespoon (7 g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, for mild-medium heat; use ½ teaspoon for spicier chili (optional)
2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use 1½ teaspoons if using Morton or fine salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
Simmering liquids
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
15 ounce can (425 g) tomato sauce, plain, unseasoned; use the whole can, undrained
14½ ounce can (411 g) diced tomatoes, undrained, with all the juice
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon (4 g) light brown sugar, packed
Finishing
2 15-ounce cans (850 g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7- to 5.7 L) heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot with lid
Sturdy wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula
Large spoon for removing fat
Chef's knife and cutting board
Colander
Measuring cups and spoons
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Prep before you turn on the heat (about 20 minutes): dice the onions and bell pepper, mince the garlic, and measure the spices into a small bowl so they are ready to add all at once.
Drain and rinse only the kidney beans: tip both cans into a colander and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Do not drain the tomato sauce or the diced tomatoes. Both go into the pot with all their juices.
Use 85% lean ground beef. It provides enough fat to cook the vegetables and carry the spices, so no added oil is needed. Very lean beef makes dry, grainy chili.
Choose a 5- to 6-quart (4.7- to 5.7-liter) heavy-bottomed pot so the chili simmers gently without scorching.
Timing: about 22 minutes of prep, 84 minutes on the stove (including the unattended simmers), and a 10-minute rest off the heat. Total is about 1 hour 56 minutes.

1
Brown the beef
- Set the empty pot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the cold ground beef in large chunks and break it into pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until no pink remains and the crumbles are browned.
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Ready when: No pink remains, the crumbles have a thin brown crust, and browned bits coat the pot bottom. The beef reads 160°F (71°C) in the thickest crumbles.
Tip: Let the beef sit undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes at a time. Constant stirring prevents browning. If your pot is crowded, brown it in two batches.
2
Remove excess fat
- Tilt the pot and spoon off the liquid fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot to cook the vegetables.
- Leave the browned bits on the bottom.
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Ready when: Only a thin film of fat, about 2 tablespoons, remains around the beef.
Tip: Discard the fat in a can, not down the drain.
3
Cook the vegetables
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the diced onions, bell pepper, and a pinch of the salt from the 2 teaspoons.
- Cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so and scraping up the browned bits as the vegetables release moisture.
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Ready when: Onions are soft and translucent, with a few golden edges, and the pot bottom is mostly clean.
Tip: Don't rush with high heat. Browned, not burnt, onions build the sweet base of the chili.
4
Add the garlic
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
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Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant but has not browned.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter, so move on to the spices as soon as you smell it.
5
Bloom the spices
- Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne (if using), the remaining salt, and the black pepper.
- Add the tomato paste.
- Stir constantly for 2 minutes so the spices toast in the fat and the paste darkens slightly.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly of toasted spices and the tomato paste has turned a brick-red color.
Tip: If the spices begin to stick or smell scorched, add a splash of the broth right away.
6
Add the liquids
- Pour in the tomato sauce, the diced tomatoes with their juice, the beef broth, and the Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the brown sugar.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon to loosen any stuck spice paste and browned bits.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, which takes 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir once or twice while you wait.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the surface and a spoon dragged across the bottom meets no stuck bits.
7
Simmer the base
- Reduce the heat to low so the chili barely bubbles, with a bubble breaking the surface every second or two.
- Set the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for 35 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom every 10 minutes.
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Ready when: The sauce has darkened to deep red-brown and is noticeably thicker, and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly.
Tip: A hard boil makes the beef tough and can scorch the bottom. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
8
Add the beans
- Stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans.
- Raise the heat to medium and stir until the chili returns to a gentle simmer, about 3 minutes.
- Then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, counted from when it starts simmering, stirring occasionally.
- This step takes about 18 minutes in all.
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Ready when: The chili is thick enough to mound on a spoon, and the beans are heated through and tender but still hold their shape.
Tip: If the chili gets too thick, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) water or broth. If it is too thin, simmer 5 to 10 minutes longer.
9
Finish and season
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors taste bold rather than flat.
- Add a pinch more cayenne if you want extra heat.
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Ready when: The chili tastes balanced: savory, slightly sweet, with a bright finish.
Tip: Season at the end. The chili reduces as it cooks, which concentrates the salt.
10
Rest before serving
- Cover the pot and let the chili rest off the heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir, then ladle into bowls.
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Ready when: The chili no longer bubbles and has a thick, glossy, spoonable texture.
Tip: Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, or cornbread.

Good to know

Tips

Blooming the spices in fat for 2 minutes pulls out much more flavor than stirring them into liquid.
Chili thickens as it cools. Thin leftovers with a splash of water or broth when reheating.
For a thicker, smoother-textured chili, mash about ½ cup of the beans against the side of the pot during the final simmer.
Keep the 2 tablespoons of beef fat in the pot. It cooks the vegetables and carries the spice flavor.

Make ahead

The chili tastes even better the next day. Cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.

Storage & reheating

Cool within 2 hours. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, with a splash of water or broth, until steaming hot at 165°F (74°C). Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

85% lean ground beef → ground turkey or ground chuck. Ground chuck (80% lean) is richer; spoon off more fat. Ground turkey is leaner, so add 1 tablespoon of oil when browning and cook to 165°F (74°C).
red kidney beans → pinto beans or black beans. Use the same amount, drained and rinsed. Cooking time is unchanged.
apple cider vinegar → fresh lime juice. Use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for a brighter, citrusy finish.
low-sodium beef broth → water or chicken broth. Water gives a slightly less savory chili; add an extra ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to compensate.