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Brief Overview
Chili con Carne is a bold, hearty stew that has earned its place as a classic dish across the United States. Known for its comforting warmth and punchy flavours, it brings together slow cooked meat, beans, and a generous mix of spices. It’s the kind of food that fills the kitchen with mouth-watering aromas and feeds the soul.
This dish has become a staple at everything from casual family dinners to competitive cook offs, especially in the American Southwest. Its rich, satisfying texture and ability to adapt to personal tastes make it a favourite for home cooks and chefs alike. Whether mild or fiery, it invites creativity.
What Is Chili con Carne?
Chili con Carne literally means ‘chilli with meat’, and that is exactly what it is: a thick, spicy stew made from minced or chopped beef simmered slowly with chilli peppers and other spices. In most American homes, kidney beans or pinto beans are included as well.
Though fiercely debated in some circles, beans have become a common addition in many regional recipes, adding body and variety to each spoonful. It’s often served with rice, cornbread, or even on its own, piping hot in a bowl with toppings like cheese or chopped onions.
This is comfort food with character, known for its deep flavour and slow building heat. Whether you’re eating it around a campfire or at a Sunday gathering, chili con carne is one of those dishes that makes an impression with every bite.
Ingredients and Taste
At the heart of chili con carne is beef, browned to lock in flavour before simmering slowly with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and dried or fresh chilli peppers. Ground cumin, paprika, and oregano give the dish its distinctive warm, earthy profile that lingers on the palate.
Beans, when used, bring a satisfying creaminess that contrasts beautifully with the bold spices. The tomatoes add acidity, which lifts the richness of the meat. It’s a dish that balances heat with depth, delivering both comfort and intensity in equal measure.
While some versions keep it fiery with multiple chilli varieties, others lean into a smoky, mellow warmth. No matter the level of spice, good chili always has a strong savoury backbone that makes it deeply satisfying to eat, especially on colder days.
A Taste of History
Chili con carne’s roots are tangled in myth, migration, and the fusion of cultures that shaped the American Southwest. Though it carries a Spanish name, the dish took form in Texas, influenced by Mexican cuisine and frontier practicality during the 19th century.
Early versions were cooked over open fires by cowboys, settlers, and army cooks using whatever ingredients were on hand. Chilli peppers and beef were abundant, and together they created something both filling and memorable. Over time, variations spread and evolved.
By the early 20th century, chili parlours had popped up across Texas, serving steaming bowls of this spicy stew to eager diners. It even made its way into canned food aisles and school lunchrooms, further cementing its place in American food culture.
Today, chili con carne remains a symbol of American culinary spirit, robust, adaptable, and proudly regional. Whether you enjoy it thick and spicy or mild with beans and tomatoes, each bowl connects you to a long tradition of flavour and invention.
How to Make Traditional Chili con Carne
Chili con Carne is a bold, smoky Tex-Mex classic rooted in the American Southwest, known for its robust spice blend and deep, slow cooked flavour. Expect a rich, hearty stew layered with spices, beans, and tender minced beef. Before you begin, take your time browning the meat well and don’t rush the simmering stage, the longer it cooks, the richer it gets. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
- 500g minced beef (ideally 80 percent lean)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g canned chopped tomatoes
- 400g canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 300ml beef stock (low sodium)
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Juice of half a lime
- Optional: sour cream, chopped coriander, and grated cheddar for garnish
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. This builds the flavour base, so don’t rush this part.
Step 2: Brown the Minced Beef
Increase the heat to medium to high and add the minced beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until well browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the beef to develop a good sear for deeper flavour before stirring.
Step 3: Add the Peppers
Add the diced red and green bell peppers. Stir well and let them cook for 5 minutes until they begin to soften. This adds colour, texture, and sweetness to balance the spices.
Step 4: Stir in the Spices
Lower the heat slightly. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, and chilli powder. Toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes to release their oils. The aroma should be rich and earthy.
Step 5: Mix in Tomato Purée and Tomatoes
Stir in the tomato purée and let it cook for a minute to mellow the acidity. Add the canned chopped tomatoes, stirring thoroughly to combine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom for added flavour.
Step 6: Simmer with Stock and Beans
Pour in the beef stock and stir in the kidney beans. Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and cover. Let simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 7: Uncover and Reduce
Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes of cooking to let the stew thicken. If the mixture gets too thick, add a splash more stock or water. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Step 8: Add Lime Juice
Stir in the lime juice just before serving. It brightens the rich flavours and balances the heat with acidity. Let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes to settle.
Step 9: For Serving
Ladle the chili into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh coriander, and grated cheddar if you like. Serve with warm cornbread, tortilla chips, or steamed rice.
Step 10: Final Touches
To finish, wipe the bowl edges clean for neat presentation. Offer extra lime wedges or hot sauce on the side for guests to personalise the heat level.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Chili con Carne
- Use good quality beef for a richer texture and deeper flavour.
- Brown the meat well without overcrowding the pot to avoid steaming.
- Toast your spices to activate essential oils before adding liquids.
- Simmer low and slow to develop complexity and meld the flavours.
- Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to settle the seasoning.
Chili con Carne (Spiced Meat and Bean Stew)
Ingredients
- 500 g minced beef ideally 80 percent lean
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 400 g canned red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 300 ml beef stock low sodium
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Juice of half a lime
- Optional: sour cream chopped coriander, and grated cheddar for garnish
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. This builds the flavour base, so don’t rush this part.
- Increase the heat to medium to high and add the minced beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until well browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the beef to develop a good sear for deeper flavour before stirring.
- Add the diced red and green bell peppers. Stir well and let them cook for 5 minutes until they begin to soften. This adds colour, texture, and sweetness to balance the spices.
- Lower the heat slightly. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, and chilli powder. Toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes to release their oils. The aroma should be rich and earthy.
- Stir in the tomato purée and let it cook for a minute to mellow the acidity. Add the canned chopped tomatoes, stirring thoroughly to combine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom for added flavour.
- Pour in the beef stock and stir in the kidney beans. Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and cover. Let simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes of cooking to let the stew thicken. If the mixture gets too thick, add a splash more stock or water. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Stir in the lime juice just before serving. It brightens the rich flavours and balances the heat with acidity. Let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes to settle.
- Ladle the chili into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh coriander, and grated cheddar if you like. Serve with warm cornbread, tortilla chips, or steamed rice.
- To finish, wipe the bowl edges clean for neat presentation. Offer extra lime wedges or hot sauce on the side for guests to personalise the heat level.
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