Electronic Gourmet's Chili

This chili uses cubed steak instead of ground beef, so you get real chunks of browned meat with seared edges in every bowl. Two hours of slow simmering breaks those cubes down into tender, pull-apart pieces that soak up the chili-spiced broth.

The ingredient list has some surprises. Caraway seeds and sesame seeds show up alongside the expected chili powder and oregano, adding a toasty, almost earthy undertone you won’t find in a standard Tex-Mex pot. Green olives stir in during the second hour and contribute a briny, salty punch that cuts through the richness of the beef.

Adding chili powder gradually and tasting as you go is the smart approach here. Heat tolerance varies wildly from person to person, and you can always add more but can’t take it out.

Pro Tips

• Brown the steak cubes in small batches. Crowding the pan steams the meat and you lose that caramelized crust that builds flavor.
• Use boiling water, not cold. Cold water drops the temperature and extends the time to get back to a simmer.
• The kidney beans go in at the very end, just long enough to heat through. Extended simmering turns them to mush.
• This chili tastes even better the next day. The spices mellow and the flavors knit together overnight.

Variations

• Swap green olives for Kalamata olives for a smokier, more Mediterranean flavor.
• Add a can of diced tomatoes with the boiling water for a saucier, more traditional-looking chili.
• Stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a mole-inspired depth that pairs well with the caraway.