Texas-Style Chili with Ground Beef & Smashed Beans
Texas-style chili packed with seared ground beef and smoky peppers for a deep & hearty flavor - while hidden smashed beans thicken & stretch. Enjoy with GF/DF sides!
Ingredients
Chili Base
- 1 large yellow onion - or 2 medium
- 5-6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil - or bacon grease or leaf lard
- 2 pounds ground beef
Spices & Seasonings
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - adjusted to taste
- 1 14-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes - with juice
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
Smashed Beans (optional)
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans - drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic - or a pinch garlic powder
Stock
- 2 cups beef stock - bone broth recommended
- 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt - to taste
- Freshly ground pepper - to taste
Instructions
Prep
- Chop the onion and garlic. Remove the ground beef from the refrigerator to take the chill off. (Note: ground beef shouldn’t sit on the counter for more than 20 minutes for food safety reasons.)• 1 large yellow onion• 5-6 cloves garlic
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil, bacon grease, or leaf lard and heat until shimmering.• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Cook the Aromatics
- Add the onion along with about ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned.
- Push the onions to the side of the pan. Add the garlic directly onto the hot surface and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir to combine with the onions.
Sear the Beef
- Push the onion and garlic mixture to the coolest part of your pan. Add the ground beef to the exposed surface, spreading it out evenly.• 2 pounds ground beef
- Cook the beef undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until the bottom develops a deep brown sear. Resist the urge to break it up—allowing the beef to sear undisturbed builds major flavor.
- While the beef is searing, measure the spices into a small bowl and open the canned ingredients.
- Once the bottom of the beef is a deep brown color, flip the beef in large chunks so the uncooked side contacts the pan. Cook undisturbed for another 4–5 minutes, until deeply browned.
- While the beef sears, preheat the oven to 325°F and mince the chipotle pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium and break the beef into smaller pieces, allowing any remaining pink spots to cook and the fat to fully render.
- Assess the amount of rendered fat. If there are visible pools of bubbling fat, reduce the heat to low and spoon off excess fat into a small bowl (see Notes). Leave a small amount for richness.
- Stir the beef together with the onions and garlic, then push everything to the side. Set heat to medium.
Add the Seasonings
- Add the chili powder, smoked sweet paprika, cumin, and cayenne to the exposed pan surface. Allow the spices to toast for about 1 minute, then stir to combine.• 3 tablespoons chili powder• 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika• 1 tablespoon cumin• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and minced chipotle pepper. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.• 1 14-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar• 3 tablespoons maple syrup• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
Smash the Beans
- In a medium-sized bowl, mash the drained beans with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Season with olive oil, granulated garlic, and about ½ teaspoon salt.• 1 15-ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans• 2 tablespoons olive oil• ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- Push the chili mixture to the side and add the smashed beans directly to the pan. Cook the beans for 1–2 minutes or until softened, then gradually incorporate the beans into the chili until fully mixed. If any beans are still visible, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break them up.
Simmer the Chili
- Gradually stir in the beef stock and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.• 2 cups beef stock
- Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Cook at 325°F for about 1 hour. Season with an additional ½ teaspoon of salt if needed. See the Notes for serving suggestions.
Notes
Tips
- Serving: Serve this chili hot with gluten free cornbread, tortilla chips, Fritos, or gluten free crackers. Optional toppings include sour cream or yogurt (dairy or dairy free), shredded cheese (dairy or dairy free), avocado, pickled red onions, green onion, cilantro, sliced jalapeño, a squeeze of lime, and hot sauce like Tapatio, Cholula, or Tabasco.
- Fat Removal Tip: To remove excess rendered fat in the chili, turn the heat down to low, then use a spoon with a long handle to scoop out some of the fat into a small bowl. I do this by gently pressing down on the liquid pools with the back of the spoon and letting the spoon fill up with liquid, then pouring it into the small bowl. Repeat until you no longer see pools of fat bubbling up. I then put the bowl of fat into the freezer for about 10 minutes to allow the liquid to harden for easy disposal. Once solid, discard the fat. Any gelatinous liquid underneath can be added back to the chili for extra flavor.
- Flexible Cook Time:
- Short on time? Simmer uncovered on medium-low for about 30 minutes, then adjust seasoning.
- Extra time? Lower oven temperature to 300°F (or even 275°F) and cook longer for deeper flavor. Add stock or water if needed.
- Adjusting the Seasoning:
- Tastes flat → add salt
- Tastes bland → add more spices
- Needs brightness → add an extra tablespoon of vinegar
- Too sweet → add more vinegar
- Too salty → add a little more maple syrup
- Prefer more tomato flavor → stir in a tablespoon (or more) double-concentrated tomato paste
- Stovetop Option: Instead of using the oven, reduce heat to low or medium-low and simmer gently for about 1 hour, covered. Leave the lid slightly cracked if you want a thicker chili. Stir occasionally.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat either in the microwave (covered with a paper towel) or gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of beef stock or water if it’s too thick.
- Freezing: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Making Ahead: You can prepare this chili several days ahead (or longer if you plan to freeze it). Cool completely, refrigerate, and reheat gently before serving. Flavors often improve after sitting overnight.
- Beef: 85% lean ground beef works well. For leaner beef, consider adding a small amount of neutral oil or fat to maintain richness.
- Spices: Chili powder, sweet smoked paprika, and cumin all add to an authentic Texas-style flavor. Use high-quality, fresh spices for the best results. Chili powder in the U.S. is a blend of several spices. If you are using a powder made entirely of a type of pepper, start with a smaller amount and build to your desired heat level.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes add a subtle smoky depth.
- Gluten Free: This recipe is naturally gluten free; just confirm that stock, canned goods, and any spice blends do not contain any gluten. Also, be sure to offer gluten free versions of toppings such as cornbread and crackers.
- Dairy Free: This recipe is naturally dairy free. Make sure to offer dairy free options for cheese, yogurt or sour cream, and butter (if you serve cornbread) for serving.
- If You Aren’t Gluten Free: Standard ingredients work — feel free to swap in regular cornbread or crackers if desired.
- If You Aren’t Dairy Free: Feel free to top with regular sour cream and cheese.
- Making It Vegan: Swap out the beef for your favorite beans, lentils, or crumbled plant-based beef substitute. Also, use oil instead of leaf lard or bacon grease, and use vegetable stock. Increase spices slightly for depth and smokiness. Consider adding minced mushrooms and seasoning with an umami blend to add extra richness and flavor.
- Making It Leaner: Swap out the beef for ground turkey. Turkey makes a great lighter alternative, and it still has that classic chili flavor thanks to all the spices.