Easy Beef and Beer Chili Recipe - Cooking For My Soul (2024)

FAQs

What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

Add Some Acidity at the End

Perk up your pot of chili by adding in a dash of apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, or fresh lime juice right before you remove it from the stovetop. The acidic pop at the end will bring out all the layered flavors you worked so hard to achieve.

To enhance the flavor of your chili, brown the meat before adding it to the pot. This step not only caramelizes the meat, but gives your chili more texture, adding a depth that cannot be achieved by simply simmering it in the chili.

Stout is a perfect base ingredient for stew, so it's also a natural ingredient for chili. Hey, chili is a kind of stew, right? And we know that beef goes well with stouts. You can go for the rich malts of a time-honored favorite like Guinness, but imagine the possibilities.

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

Crackers. If you need to add an extra crispy texture to your next bowl of chili, try not to reach for your favorite crackers. "Saltine crackers are a popular chili topping, but their sodium and refined carb content make them troubling in terms of nutrition," says Best.

A cup of strong, brewed coffee will work wonders for your pot of chili, imparting a deep, roasted flavor that will make the chili taste like it simmered away all day long.

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions.

Do you cook onions or meat first for chili? ›

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, and red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high.

It's honestly a perfect pairing. Not only does beer work to cut the heat and spice of a proper bowl of red, but the residual sweetness in most beers nicely complements the caramelized meat.

You know the saying, “save the best for last?” To keep your beans nice and plump, add them about 20 minutes before you finish cooking. This will give them plenty of time to impart that perfectly seasoned chili flavor to your recipe without overcooking.

The best meat for chili depends on the type you're making, but professionals generally use a combination of ground chuck, brisket, short ribs, or diced tri-tip sirloin mixed with bacon and sausage to layer multiple textures and flavors.

Is it lacking in savory depth? Add a hit of soy sauce, Worcestershire, or tamari. These salty, savory powerhouses won't dominate or change the flavor of your chili so much as amplify what's there. Start with one tablespoon, stir, and taste before you add another.

Get yourself a bar of good quality bittersweet chocolate, break some off and stir it into a hot pot of chili. Chocolate and chili peppers go together like corned beef and cabbage. It will give your chili nice depth of flavor, especially if the chili contains chipotle chili peppers. Chocolate loves chipotle peppers.

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.