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A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and tortilla chips. The chili contains ground meat, beans, tomatoes, and spices, with a spoon resting in the bowl.

Thick & Hearty Ground Beef Chili with Beans & Beer

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: serves 10-12 1x
  • Category: Soup, Stew, & Chili Recipes, Main Dishes, Beef Recipes
  • Method: Stovetop, Slow Cooker, Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

I don’t do bland, soupy chili, and this Classic Ground Beef Chili recipe is anything but that!

Mega-thick and hearty with beans in every bite, each spoonful delivers stick-to-your-ribs comfort guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out. The key is a slow, 90-minute simmer to coax all the rich flavor from ground beef, smoky chipotle peppers, lots of spices, and beer.

Pile your bowl high with your favorite chili toppings for the ultimate comfort on a cold day. An instant winner!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 3-4 chipotle peppers (from a can packed in adobo sauce), finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 12 ounces beer of choice (see Recipe Notes)
  • one 16-ounce can tomato sauce
  • two 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
  • three 15-ounce cans beans of choice (black, pinto, kidney, etc.), drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • up to 2 cups beef stock/broth (or water)
  • 1 lime, juiced

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the ground beef. Season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Cook 5-7 minutes, breaking into bite-sized crumbles as it cooks, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.A white pot with cooked ground beef and a metal spoon with a red handle sits on a green tiled surface. Some ground beef has been scooped to reveal the bottom of the pot.
  2. Cook the aromatics: If needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and bell peppers. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper as desired. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the garlic, chipotle peppers, and all of the seasonings (chili powder – cinnamon). Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.A pot with chopped onions, red and green bell peppers, and minced garlic sits on a green tiled surface, surrounded by bowls of spices, salt, and a red sauce.
  3. Deglaze with beer: Slowly pour in the beer, scraping up any browned bits of fond from the bottom of the pot. Simmer 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.A white pot sits on a green tiled surface, filled with chopped vegetables and spices. A hand pours liquid, likely beer, from a bottle into the pot, blending with the simmering ingredients.
  4. Build the chili and simmer: Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juices), beans, Worcestershire sauce, and browned beef. If the chili feels too thick, add up to 2 cups beef stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thickened and deeply flavorful.A white pot on a green tiled surface contains ground meat, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, and sauce. A hand is pouring a small cup of liquid into the pot.A pot of chili with ground meat, beans, tomatoes, and peppers sits on a green tiled surface. A red spoon rests in the pot, and a bowl with lime halves and a citrus reamer is nearby.
  5. Finish and serve: Stir in lime juice and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, smashed avocado or guacamole, shredded cheese, thinly sliced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, etc. Enjoy!     A bowl of chili topped with sliced jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, and tortilla chips, surrounded by more chips and garnishes on a green surface.

Equipment

Notes

Jess’ Tips and Tricks:

  • Chili powder: For best results, use American-style chili powder, a seasoning blend of ground dried chiles and spices. If using pure chili powder (like ancho or chipotle), start with ⅓ the amount indicated and adjust to taste—it’s much spicier!
  • Beer: For best results, choose a full-flavored ale (e.g. brown ale, dark ale, hop-forward IPA, etc.)—we really want its robust flavor to come through in the chili.
  • Beans: For variety in flavor and texture, I like using a “chili beans” trio (a combination of black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans). Feel free to use whatever you love.
  • A note on spiciness: As written, this chili recipe isn’t especially spicy, but it has nice lingering heat. If you’d like to add more spice, toss in a few extra chipotle peppers or a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper. If you’d like less heat, swap the chipotles for a few spoonfuls of adobo (the sauce in the can with the peppers).
  • Easy substitutions for dietary restrictions: To ensure a gluten-free result, be sure to use your favorite gluten-free beer. To ensure a dairy-free result, be sure to serve your chili with your favorite dairy-free toppings (cheese, sour cream/yogurt, etc.).
  • 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this beer chili comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance and you can jump straight in to cooking during the week: dice 1 yellow onion and 2 medium bell peppers, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Alternate Cooking Methods:

  • Crock Pot / Slow Cooker Game Day Beer Chili: Prep the chili according to Steps 1-3. Transfer the deglazed mixture to the slow cooker, along with the beef, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, beans, and broth/stock (or water) as directed in Step 4. Slow cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire recipe (Steps 1-4).
  • Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Game Day Beer Chili: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to build the chili according to Steps 1-4. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. If the chili seems a little too liquidy, turn on the Sauté setting and let it simmer down a little before finishing as directed in Step 5.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing:

  • Storage and Reheating: This beer chili is incredibly meal prep/make-ahead friendly – its flavors get even better the longer it sits. To store, transfer cooled chili to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
  • Freezer Instructions: This beer chili is also incredibly freezer-friendly. Transfer the cooled chili to a freezer container (or divide between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or, for a quicker thaw, submerge the freezer container in room temperature water. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through, thinning it out with a splash of water or chicken stock as needed.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/ground-beef-chili/