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Our Definitive Classic Homemade Chili Recipe for a Perfect Cosy Evening

Is there a meal more welcoming than a warm, aromatic bowl of deep, flavourful chili on a cool night? We certainly don’t think so. It’s the sort of dish that draws family and friends to the dinner table, warming you through and making the entire home smell wonderful. We’ve spent years refining our approach, testing endless variations to perfect a single recipe. One that has a gentle heat without being overpowering, and a taste that is both rich and straightforward to achieve. We are delighted to finally share it with you: our ultimate Classic Homemade Chili, destined to become a staple in your home.

This is more than just a set of instructions; it’s our complete guide to crafting a truly special meal. We will lead you through every stage, from getting the perfect brown on the mince to the slow, gentle simmer that allows the flavours to develop and merge. Set aside the pre-made sauces and seasoning packets. This is authentic chili, created with care, fresh produce, and a little secret that elevates it from good to great. Prepare yourself for the finest bowl of chili you’ve ever tasted.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• An Incredibly Deep and Savoury Flavour: We achieve a wonderfully complex, smoky, and rich taste by using a specific blend of spices along with a secret ingredient (a little dark chocolate!).
• Ideal for Making in Advance: This recipe yields a generous portion, and its flavour deepens beautifully overnight. It’s a superb option for meal prepping on busy weeks and also freezes exceptionally well.
• Made with Simple, Accessible Ingredients: There’s no need for a special shopping trip. This chili is built on common, easy-to-find ingredients from any local supermarket to create something extraordinary.
• Wonderfully Adaptable: We provide a fantastic foundation, but feel free to adjust the heat, switch up the beans, or incorporate extra vegetables to craft your own signature version.
• A Guaranteed Crowd-Pleaser: Whether it’s a family dinner, a relaxed get-together with friends, or a feast for game day, a large pot of this Beef Chili is sure to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 kg beef mince (we recommend an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
• 4 tbsp chili powder (a mild, high-quality blend is best)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
• 2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 (400g) tin of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 500ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 25g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), finely chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to Make the Perfect Stovetop Chili

The secret to a truly outstanding chili lies in carefully building layers of flavour. By adhering to these straightforward steps for a traditional Stovetop Chili, you’ll ensure each spoonful is rich with a slow-simmered taste that feels like a warm embrace.

Step 1: Sauté the Base

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over a medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the chopped onions and red pepper. Sauté gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are soft and the onions appear translucent but not overly browned. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until it becomes aromatic, taking care that it doesn’t catch and burn.

Step 2: Brown the Beef Mince

Increase the heat to medium-high before adding the beef mince to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, break the mince apart into smaller pieces. Continue to cook until it is browned all over. This stage is vital for creating a deep, savoury foundation, so it’s important not to rush it. Let any excess liquid cook off so the mince can get some colour. Afterwards, carefully drain away any excess fat if needed.

Step 3: Bloom the Spices

Turn the heat back down to medium. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper directly to the mince. Stir continuously for around 60 seconds. This method, known as ‘blooming’, gently toasts the spices, awakening their essential oils and deepening their flavour, which is key to an authentic Classic Chili.

Step 4: Simmer to Perfection

Now it is time to combine all the elements. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes and beef stock, then stir through the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything together thoroughly, making sure to scrape any flavourful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then lower the heat, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to simmer for a minimum of 1.5 hours. A long, slow cook is what makes the chili so tender and flavourful. After this time, stir in the rinsed kidney beans and the special ingredient: the dark chocolate. Let it simmer without the lid for a final 30 minutes, which will help it to thicken. To finish, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper to your liking.

Top Tips for the Best Homemade Chili

Having prepared this recipe more times than we can count, we’ve gathered a few helpful hints. Here are our favourite tips to take your #HomemadeChili from very good to truly exceptional.

• Give It Time to Simmer: The longer you allow the chili to gently bubble away, the more delicious it will become. If you can spare the time, simmering for 2-3 hours will yield incredibly tender beef and a wonderfully profound flavour.
• Don’t Skip the Chocolate: It might seem like an odd addition, but a small piece of dark chocolate introduces a remarkable depth and richness that is hard to define. It won’t make your chili taste of chocolate; it simply enhances all the other savoury notes.
• Even Better the Next Day: As with many stews, chili tastes even better after a day in the fridge. The flavours have a chance to mingle and develop, so if you can, prepare it a day before you intend to serve it.
• Customise the Heat: Our recipe offers a mild warmth, but you can easily increase the spice. Add finely diced fresh chilies, such as jalapeños, with the garlic, or simply add more cayenne pepper to turn up the heat. You can find out more about the heat levels of different chillies from BBC Good Food.

Serving Suggestions and Storage

A brilliant bowl of chili is all about the accompaniments! We love to arrange a little ‘toppings station’ so that everyone can personalise their own serving. Some of our favourites include:

• A spoonful of sour cream or thick Greek yoghurt
• A generous sprinkle of grated mature cheddar
• Freshly chopped coriander leaves
• Thinly sliced spring onions or finely diced red onion
• A few pickled jalapeño slices for an extra kick

Enjoy your chili served over a bed of fluffy rice, alongside a piece of classic cornbread, or with a simple hunk of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce. While this chili is a showstopper on its own, if you’re mapping out a week of comforting dishes, you might like to try our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe next.

This chili keeps beautifully. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. For freezing, let it cool down completely before portioning it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It will stay perfect in the freezer for up to three months. Much like this chili, our Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls are also excellent for meal prepping and freezing.

FAQ

The Only Chili Recipe You’ll Ever Need

And there you have it—our complete guide to preparing a truly superb, deeply satisfying, and wonderfully comforting classic chili. This recipe is more than a list of steps; it’s an opportunity to take a moment, savour the cooking process, and create a meal that will bring real pleasure to your dining table. It’s a dependable, delicious, and heart-warming dish that we find ourselves making again and again.

We are confident this is the finest chili you will ever cook from scratch. So, dust off your favourite pot, gather your ingredients, and prepare to savour the ultimate comfort food. We would be thrilled to see your results! Tag us in your photos on social media or drop a comment below to tell us how your #HomemadeChili came out.

Recipe Card

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hours 30 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 kg beef mince (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
• 4 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
• 2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 (400g) tin of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 500ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 25g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), finely chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and pepper until soft (8-10 mins). Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
2. Brown Beef & Spices: Increase heat, add beef mince and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain excess fat. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Simmer: Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, tomato purée, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 1.5 hours.
4. Finish: Stir in the rinsed kidney beans and dark chocolate. Simmer uncovered for 30 more minutes to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition (per serving):
459 Calories,
19g Carbs,
24g Protein,
30g Fat

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