EVANSVILLE – One of the most satisfying things you can eat on a cold day is a big bowl of strong chili peppers.
Chili peppers can be used for a variety of purposes. Serve as is or top with your favorite cheese, sour cream, onions, salsa, crushed corn chips, or more. Chili can also be topped on its own and is used on hot dogs, baked potatoes, nachos, and fries, just to name a few. Thick chili peppers can also be used as stuffing. Use it in burritos, pepper stuffing, or inside quesadillas with cheese.
Introducing an easy and delicious recipe for super rich chili that can be made in a slow cooker. You can brown the meat and onions in a frying pan, but you can use the Instant Pot to brown them all the way through.
We especially love chili with chunks of braised beef instead of ground beef, and we like to use smoked chili powder, or a mixture of chili powder and smoked paprika, for flavor.
Beef must be a cut suitable for long cooking times. Brisket, shank, chuck, etc. Be careful with beef stew meat packaging. It could be cut off from any part and you might end up with something unsuitable for soup. If you get stew meat, look for deep red meat with lots of fat marbling. The pale, lean parts can become dry and felt-like when cooked in a clay pot.
Chili recipe with beef, red lentils and smoked chili powder
Meaty, smoky, and extra thick, these chili peppers are easy to make and delicious on their own as toppings or fillings.
Now, let’s take a look at the secret ingredient. To make the chili pepper thicker, richer, and even more nutritious than usual, add red lentils. It has no skin and melts into the soup, adding a subtle peppery flavor that adds a wonderful richness to stews.
Adaptation – I kept this recipe very simple, but it’s easy to adapt. If you want your chili pepper to be even spicier, add red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or diced jalapeño peppers. The texture is intentionally very thick, but if you prefer a little more juice, reduce the amount of red lentils and add extra beef stock or a can of tomato juice in place of the paste. Like vegetables? Add diced red or green peppers.
Chunky Beef and Bean Chili Recipe
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer
material
- Approximately 2.5 pounds of beef brisket, shank, or shoulder roast
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon fat
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 cups beef stock (or 3 cups water and beef base as directed on the package)
- 3 tablespoons smoked chili powder, or 2 tablespoons chili powder and 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3 16-ounce cans of dark red kidney beans, drained
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
direction
1. Remove excess fat and connective tissue from beef and cut into approximately 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil or bacon fat in a wide frying pan, or cut off some of the beef tallow. Add the beef in a single layer and sear on each side over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add onions, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and brown, about 10 more minutes.
3. Add the beef and onions to the pot and use a little beef stock to glaze, lifting any brown bits from the pot and adding it to the pot. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Cover and simmer on high heat for 5-6 hours or on low heat for 8 hours. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.