Ground Beef Chili Recipe with Bell Peppers
How to Make Chili Easily with Beef, Mild Peppers, Tomatoes, and Beer
Nov 3, 2009
Often, when making chili, the little things make a whole lot of difference in the end results. That's the case in this easy recipe for medium-hot ground beef chili.
A few key ingredients give this chili recipe distinction. First is a healthy dose of garlic—at least 1 clove per serving. Onions add their own pungency.
Of course, chilies play a role, too. Two sources of the spice, medium-hot pure chile powder and red (cayenne) pepper, give the final beefy chili a medium-hot glow.
Extra dimensions of flavor come from two popular ingredients in many chili recipes. Canned tomatoes adds mellow, sweet-savory flavor. And a cup of beer contributes robust, earthy savor.
Most distinctive of all, however, are the green bell peppers added to the pot. Cut into squares, they add a bright spark of color to every spoonful, and their sharp flavor makes every spoonful a standout.
Ground Beef and Bell Pepper Chili
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 green bell peppers, halves, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch squares
- 2 medium-sized yellow onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons medium-hot pure chile powder
- 2 teaspoons red (cayenne) pepper
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beer
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, heave the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, bell peppers, and onions and sauté until the onions turn transparent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chile powder and cayenne and sauté 1 minute more.
- Add the beef and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat coarsely, until the beef is evenly browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beer, tomato paste, oregano, sugar, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick, about 20 minutes.
Serve the chili in bowls, on its own or over steamed rice. The recipe is also delicious made with ground turkey or ground pork. Quantities are easily doubled, tripled, or quadrupled for a party.
It's easy, delicious, and fun to garnish the chili, too. Put out bowls of shredded sharp cheddar cheese or pepper Jack cheese; sour cream; crispy corn tortilla chips; chopped mild onion or fresh chives; and chopped fresh cilantro leaves. Don't forget bottles of one or more favorite hot chili sauces, too, for guests who prefer more heat.
Looking for other great chili recipes? Check out Chili Dog Chili, Steak Chili, or Chicken Breast White Bean Chili!
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