Description
A rich, slow-simmered beef chili loaded with tender beef, smoky spices, tomatoes, beans, and a secret touch of cocoa powder for incredible depth of flavor. Perfect for cozy dinners and game day gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1kg beef chuck roast, cubed (or 80/20 ground beef)
- 2 tbsp neutral high-heat oil (if using chuck roast)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes with juice
- 250ml low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 can (400g) kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and season with salt. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and sear the beef in batches for about 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onion and bell pepper for about 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the beef broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and cocoa powder. Return the beef and any juices to the pot.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork tender.
- Stir in the drained beans during the final 20 minutes of cooking and heat through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Chuck roast creates incredibly tender, flavorful chili after slow cooking. The cocoa powder doesn’t make the chili taste like chocolate—it simply adds richness and depth. This chili tastes even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmered
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 465
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 110mg