Mexican Style Chili

This is the kind of chili you make when you’re feeding a crowd or stocking the freezer. Five pounds of ground chuck, three cans of tomatoes and beans, and a full three-hour simmer that turns everything into something deeper and richer than any 30-minute weeknight version.

The two-stage simmer is the technique to notice. The first hour, the meat and tomato base alone, lets the ground beef and tomato cook into each other and break down. Adding the chili powder, salsa, and hot sauce for the second simmer keeps those flavors bright instead of dulling them through three hours of heat.

Browning the ground chuck in batches in a separate skillet (and draining the fat) is non-skippable. Crowded meat steams instead of browning, and ungrained fat will make the chili greasy. Use a heavy cast iron or stainless pot for the simmer so heat distributes evenly and the bottom doesn’t scorch.

Stir often. The big beef-tomato body sinks and catches if you walk away too long.

Chef Tips

• Three ounces of chili powder is a serious amount, taste before adding the full quantity and adjust to your spice tolerance.
• Drain and rinse the kidney beans well, the canning liquid is salty and starchy.
• Make it a day ahead, chili improves overnight as the flavors marry and the fat solidifies on top, easy to skim before reheating.
• Freeze portions flat in zip bags for fast weeknight dinners.

Variations

• Use a mix of ground chuck and chorizo for smokier, deeper flavor.
• Add a square of dark chocolate and a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a mole-leaning chili.
• Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes instead of plain stewed for a charred edge.