Hearty Homestyle Chile Con Carne
A flavorful but not overly spicy pot of chili with dried Mexican chiles and chipotle peppers, blended to a gorgeous chile paste. This hearty meal starts with a bag of dried Pinto beans, so it's best to soak the beans the night before.
Servings 6
Calories 385kcal
Ingredients
For The Chile Paste:
- 8 Guajillo or New Mexico chiles dried
- 2 cups hot water (not boiling)
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (depends on how much spice you like)
- 3 large cloves garlic
- ¾ cup water
For The Chili:
- 1 pound pinto beans dried
- 1½ pounds ground round can use ground chuck
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 green pepper seeded and chopped
- 2½ tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
- ½ cup chile paste (recipe given)
- 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from can of chipotle peppers)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Garnishes:
- chopped cilantro
- sliced green onions
- cheddar or monterey jack cheese shredded
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
Soak The Beans
- Place 1 pound pinto beans in a heavy Dutch oven and cover with water so that it covers the beans by an inch. Let them soak for 8 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, you can do a quick soak method: Bring the beans to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Put the lid on the pot and turn off the heat. Let stand for 2 hours, then proceed to cook as usual)
Make the Chile Paste:
- Remove the stems from 8 Guajillo or New Mexico chiles and slice them open. Remove the seeds and the membrane.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over low heat and add the chiles one at a time to the skillet, pressing the pepper with a spatula to make sure that all parts come into contact with the pan and wake up the essential oils in the peppers. Heat both sides of the peppers until they just start to turn color -- but don't overcook, or they will be bitter.
- Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water. Let the peppers rehydrate for 15-20 minutes before removing them from the water and transferring them to a blender. Add 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 3 large cloves garlic to the chiles. Add ¾ cup water and blend to form a paste. Set aside.
Make The Chili:
- Rinse and drain the beans. Cover the beans with fresh water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1½-2 hours or until beans are tender.
- Meanwhile, place a large (preferably cast iron) skillet over medium high heat add 1½ pounds ground round and cook, breaking up chunks with the back of a spoon. Add 1 large onion and 1 green pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle on 2½ tablespoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ¾ teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine.
- Drain the cooked beans and return them to the dutch oven. Heat the pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef mixture, 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, 1½ cups low sodium beef broth, ½ cup chile paste, 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (depending on how hot you like it) and 1 tablespoon dried oregano, stirring to combine.
- Bring chile just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes for flavors to marry, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve with desired garnishes such as chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, cheddar or monterey jack cheese, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
Notes
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or frozen for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1494mg | Potassium: 1111mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1400IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 6.8mg