Is there anything more winter weekend appropriate than a beefy, bean-enhanced chili? Savory and spicy, this is the perfect rib-sticking meal to prep during the football playoffs or to make on a Sunday and enjoy all week long for lunch. While traditional Texas chili never has beans, this is New England and we’re bean eaters. Here, they add fiber and texture and balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and spice.
BEEF and BEAN CHILI
2 tsp. sweet paprika
3 tsp. cumin
2-3 tbsp. chili powder mix
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium-sized onion, diced
2 yellow, red or orange bell peppers, or a mix, seeded and diced
½ can (3 oz) tomato paste
1 (12 oz) can beer (lager or pilsner)
1 (14.5 oz) can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
Water
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. red wine or apple cider vinegar
OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
Shredded cheese
Sour cream or full fat Greek yogurt
Diced avocado
Diced raw white onion
Pickled red onions
Chopped scallions or cilantro
Tortilla chips
Hot sauce
In a small bowl combine the paprika, cumin and chili powder (the “spice mix”). Set aside. Bring a heavy bottom soup pot or Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add oil, ground beef and season generously with salt, pepper and ⅓ of the spice mix. Break up the ground beef into small chunks with a wooden spoon. Stir often and cook until the beef is mostly browned, if at any point the beef is sticking or smoking, reduce heat a touch and splash in a few tablespoons of water. Push the beef to the side, add the onion and season with salt and pepper and another ⅓ of the spice mix. Stir together to combine and let sauté for a few minutes. Finally, add diced peppers, season with salt and pepper and the remainder of the spice mix.
Add the tomato paste and stir well to coat the beef and veggies. Increase the heat to high and pour in the can of beer, using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to release any sticky bits. Let the liquid reduce for about 3 minutes and then add the can of crushed tomatoes and both cans of beans, with their liquid. Fill the pinto bean can about halfway up with water and swirl to release any stuck on beans / starch. Pour the water into the pot. Repeat this technique with the black bean can. Season with salt and pepper and allow the chili to come up to a rolling boil (big, frequent bubbles); then reduce the temperature to low and let simmer (bubbles should be small, not large and less frequent) for about 30-35 minutes. The liquid in the pot will reduce by about an inch or two, this is a good thing. Stir well every so often. After 30 minutes add a teaspoon of vinegar, stir well and taste. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
To serve: ladle a scoop into a bowl, add a few pinches of shredded cheese, layer in another ladleful of chili, add more shredded cheese and any additional garnishes. We love ours with diced avocado, sour cream, raw white onion and tortilla chips for scooping.
To make this vegetarian: omit the beef, add an additional can of beans of your choice.
To make this vegan: omit the beef, use a plant based cheese / garnishes or your choice.
If you don’t want to cook with beer: simply deglaze the pan with water (about ½-¾ cup water).
BEVERAGE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Pairing wine with spicy cuisine can be a little tricky. If the wine is too acidic or tannic, it can lead to a bit of palate overload making for a not so pleasant experience. The best bet with something savory and loaded with warm spice like chili is to look towards wines that are fruit forward and relatively velvety. Our top choice with this dish is the Valrvn Sonoma Zinfandel. This wine is plush with dark fruit flavors of blueberry, cassis and blackberry jam; the tannins are super well integrated and it’s got great balance. Another killer match if you’re more into European wines would be an entry level Cȏtes du Rhȏne such as The Famille Perrin Réserve Cȏtes du Rhȏne Rouge. This is a red that has loads of super ripe dark fruit flavors, hints of peppery spice and a silky finish. Slightly lighter bodied than the zinfandel, this is a good option if you tend to prefer pinot noir to cabernet.
Another classic match here would be a light style Mexican lager, such as Pacifico or Modelo; but a locally made New England Pilsner would also be excellent: Schilling Beer Company’s Alexandr Czech Pilsner is a terrific choice. Similar to matching the wine – you would not necessarily want to pair this stew with a highly hopped, unfiltered IPA – it would be a LOT. Lighter on its feet with a touch of malty sweetness, lager style beer is the best match for chili.