Most Delicious Mescalero Chili

This is chili for people who believe beans have no business in the pot. It’s a proudly beanless, meat-forward chili that doubles down on protein with both ground beef and ground pork, giving it more depth than the usual all-beef bowl.

Beer is the secret to the base. Simmered with water and tomato, it lends a malty backbone and helps tenderize the meat as everything cooks down. A small frying trick adds even more flavor: after browning the meat, you soften the onions and bell peppers right in the rendered grease so they drink up all that savory richness.

The seasoning leans hard into cumin, with garlic, five whole jalapenos and a shot of hot sauce bringing genuine Southwestern heat. A spoonful of honey and a splash of soy sauce work behind the scenes, rounding the sharp edges and deepening the savory notes.

Forty-five minutes of steady stirring is all it takes to pull a big, generous pot together for a crowd.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the meat well before it goes in the pot. Those crusty bits are pure flavor and keep the chili from tasting boiled.
• Leave the jalapenos whole and fish them out at the end for milder heat, or chop them in for a real kick.
• Like most chili, this tastes even better the next day once the flavors meld in the fridge.

Variations

• Stir in beans at the end if you want them, purists be damned.
• Reach for a dark beer or stout for an even deeper, maltier base.
• Top with shredded cheese, diced onion and a dollop of sour cream to cool the heat.