This hearty stew would be considered “Homestyle” under ICS competition rules, but honestly beans are the best part of chili anyway.
You’ll need
- just under 1lb ground beef (chuck is best)
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 rib celery
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1 habanero pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 – 12 oz beer (nothing weird)
- 1 qt broth (I use chicken broth)
- 2 cans of kidney beans
- 1 large can peeled or diced tomatoes
- ground ancho pepper
- ground cumin
- a bay leaf
- salt
Prep
Spread the beef on a plate. Generously add salt, ancho, and cumin.
Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince the celery. Mash the garlic. Slice the habanero into thin slices, stopping when you think it’s enough.
Cook
In a large pot, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot over medium heat. This is a great time for bacon fat.
Brown the beef, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes, remove the beef to its plate, leaving behind as much of the dripping as you can.
Add onion, celery, habanero, and a pinch of salt to the pot. After a few minutes, add the garlic.
When the vegetables have softened, re-add the beef. Stir and let simmer.
After a few minutes, add almost a full can of beer, drinking the rest while you finish cooking. Let this cook until the smell of stale beer dissipates.
Add tomatoes, broth, 1 full can of beans, 1 drained can of beans, and the bay leaf. Stir enough to incorporate the ingredients and let simmer.
Minutae and Troubleshooting
The motto is “save all the juices”. I typically pour the beer from the can into the beef plate, swirl it, and from the plate to the pot. I do the same with the broth in the tomato can.
The end product does not taste even a little like beer.
A standard cheapo lager (e.g. Pabst Blue Ribbon) works well, as does a craft ale. I suspect a stout would be good, but I would avoid anything with fruit or spices added.
After the initial browning, be careful not to let the beef get too hot. This will make it overcook and become tough.