Beef Chili with Kidney Beans
Makes about 3 quarts, serving 8 to 10
Good choices for condiments include diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro leaves, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. If you are a fan of spicy food, consider using a little more of the red pepper flakes or cayenne–or both. The flavor of the chili improves with age; if possible, make it a day or up to five days in advance and reheat before serving. Leftovers can be frozen for up to a month.
2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, cut into ½-inch dice
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 cans (15 ounces each) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
Salt
2 limes, cut into wedges
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add half the beef. Cook, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.