America's Test Kitchen Beef Chili

By MelanieAnn

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons groud coriander
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds 85 percent ground beef
• 2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I use pinto beans)
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
• Salt
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onion, 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.

Add the beans, tomatoes, tomatoe puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if the chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pot stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), beans are tender and the chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt. Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired.

Condiments: Sour cream, cheese, avacado, chopped onions, cilantro.

VARIATION: Cut 8 ounces of bacon (about 8 strips) into 1/2-inch pieces. Fry the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until browned about 8 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat, leaving bacon in the pot. Follow the recipe substituting the bacon fat for the vegatble oil and an equal amount of black beans for kidney beans.