Easy Beefy Chili

This is real chili technique with a short ingredient list. Cubed sirloin tips, not ground beef, give the chili a chunky, brisket-like texture that hearty chili eaters demand. Dried pinto beans, pre-soaked overnight, develop their own creamy interior during the long simmer without the metallic edge canned beans bring.

The long 2.5-hour simmer is the only path to greatness here. There’s no tomato to mask things, so the chili relies entirely on slow extraction of flavor from the beef, garlic, cumin and chili powder into the beef stock. Rush it and the chili tastes raw. Give it time and the beans turn silky, the beef tenderizes to fork-shred, and the broth thickens into a glossy gravy.

Four tablespoons of chili powder sounds aggressive, but with no tomatoes to dilute the heat, that’s the right amount. Use a fresh, fragrant chili powder, not a tin that’s been sitting in the cabinet for two years. Dead spice can’t be saved by cooking time.

Chef Tips

• Soak the beans in cold water overnight. A quick boil-and-rest works in a pinch but doesn’t tenderize as evenly.
• Don’t add salt until the beans are nearly tender. Early salt toughens bean skins and slows softening dramatically.
• Brown the beef well before adding liquid. Sear marks build the Maillard flavor that defines proper chili.

Variations

• Stir in a can of crushed tomatoes for a more traditional Tex-Mex chili.
• Add 1 chopped chipotle in adobo for smoky heat.
• Top with diced onions, shredded cheddar and a wedge of lime.