Lazy Hazy Beef Chili Recipe

Theres nothing wrong with cheating (in a culinary context) as long as you know you can get away with it. This virtually effortless beef chili is a perfect, and very delicious, example.

Notes From the Chef:

Before we get started, here are a few notes from the chef:

• Use quality ingredients: Every once in a while its nice to just phone one in. Which is fine, as long as it doesnt taste like we took the day off. By using quality jarred salsa and a hazy IPA, it wont. Of course, any decent chili-cheater knows about the salsa trick, but here, its the beer that really makes this magic trick work.
• Opt for a hazy IPA: Theres something about the touch of fermented funkiness, and subtle bitterness the cloudy brew provides that seems to really amplify the other flavors. Traditional IPAs are generally not great beers to cook with due to their resinous flavor profile and profound bitterness, but the hazy style is mellower, slightly sweeter, and usually features tropical fruit notes.
• Having said that, use any beer you think will work. Regardless of your choice, I love this easy chili method, and hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly.

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

Chili:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 ounces hazy IPA beer
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies
• 2 (16 ounce jars) extra chunky salsa
• 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained

Toppings:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Add beef to a dry cold pot, and turn heat to high.
2. When beef begins to sizzle, break it up into small pieces with a potato masher or spatula. You can break the meat into very fine crumbles or larger chunks, depending on the desired texture. Continue to cook and break up beef until it is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.
3. Add chili powder, chipotle, black pepper, salt, and cinnamon to the pot. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then pour in beer. Stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you do. Let the mixture boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add sugar, oregano, garlic powder, diced tomatoes, and jarred salsa. Stir in and return the mixture to a simmer.
5. Stir in beans, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thickened and the flavor has developed to your liking, about 1 hour.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Top with sour cream, green onions, Cheddar cheese, and cilantro as desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

• Calories: 622
• Fat: 33g (43% Daily Value)
• Saturated Fat: 15g (73% Daily Value)
• Cholesterol: 137mg (46% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 1975mg (86% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrate: 31g (11% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 8g (30% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 46g (91% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 8mg (9% Daily Value)
• Calcium: 361mg (28% Daily Value)
• Iron: 6mg (33% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 1222mg (26% Daily Value)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.