Chilli con carne

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Good Food

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Recipe by Good Food

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1. Video tutorial: Chopping an onion

1. Prepare your vegetables. Chop your onion into small dice, about 5mm square. The easiest way to do this is to cut the onion in half from root to tip, peel it and slice each half into thick matchsticks lengthways, not quite cutting all the way to the root end so they are still held together. Slice across the matchsticks into neat dice. Cut your pepper in half lengthways, remove stalk and wash the seeds away, then chop.
2. Start cooking. Put your pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add the oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot (a little longer for an electric hob). Add the onions and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft, squidgy and slightly translucent.Tip in the garlic, red pepper, chilli, paprika and cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Brown the mince. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon or spatula. The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince. Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew.
4. Making the sauce. Crumble your stock cube into 300ml/1⁄2 pint of hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture. Open the can of chopped tomatoes and add these as well. Tip in the marjoram and the sugar, if using (see tip left), and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tbsp of tomato purée and stir the sauce well.
5. Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan or isn't drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
6. Bring on the beans. Drain and rinse the beans in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think. Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving, and relax. Leaving your chilli to stand is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle and the meat.

Other ways to enjoy chilli

Serve it on a bed of plain, boiled rice, with a spoonful of soured cream on top. Pile it on tortilla chips and sprinkle it with grated cheddar. Wrap it up in a tortilla with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and guacamole for a great burrito.

Per serving

387 kcalories, protein 36g, carbohydrate 25g, fat 17 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 6g, salt 2.32 g

"The chilli was dead simple. I don't get on with very spicy food, but this was just right for me - a nice, spicy flavour without being overhot. The cumin was a revelation - I've never used it before and the smell was fantastic."

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 61-80

• Tals

  10 June 2008

  Tals commented on this recipe

  i have this at least once a week and instead of beef i use pork and with the stock cusbe i add either vegatable or pork stock cube. Bulk it out to stretch further by adding sweetcorn. I have cooked this at friends houses and they love it!

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• Tals

  10 June 2008

  Tals commented on this recipe

  i cook mine slowly in a Wok.

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• Satsuma

  14 June 2008

  Satsuma rated this recipe

  

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• Geraldine

  19 June 2008

  Geraldine rated and commented on this recipe

  

  A big pot of this chilli was my offering at a casual family birthday dinner. It was delicious. I made guacamole and had tomato salsa and sour cream on the table and everyone dug in. I didn't have quite enough left to serve a full portion to my family (6) the next night so I made some nachos to serve with the chilli. It was a big hit even on the second night!

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• -x-leanne-x-

  25 June 2008

  -x-leanne-x- rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I had never really cooked before this!! i started cooking it when it first came out!! freinds and family always ask me to cook it for them!! its a great recipe and so easy to cook!

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• LisaB

  08 July 2008

  LisaB commented on this recipe

  I never write in about recipes, but I had to with this one. Everyone loves it. I add all the ingredients listed plus a half teaspoon of cinnamon and 140g of double concentrate tomato puree (tin from tesco's), I also double the amount of cumin asked for and grind it fresh myself. I love this on nachos with sour cream, grated cheddar and fresh salsa (made with red onion, tomatoes, lime juice, salt and pepper), and some guacamole... so good- beats serving it with rice any day. Made this soooo many times now with so many compliments!

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• LisaB

  08 July 2008

  LisaB commented on this recipe

  .... If I'm being wicked, the pickled jalepeno chillies come out as an option over the nachos mix. Gorgeously spicy!

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• Neilmac

  10 July 2008

  Neilmac commented on this recipe

  thank you very much recipe was excellent and went down a treat with everyone. keep it up A.W.T

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• eddie

  24 July 2008

  eddie commented on this recipe

  How much chocolate should be added ? it looks a lot more than a thumbnail size piece on the photo. pls help !

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• Natalia

  24 July 2008

  Natalia commented on this recipe

  Really Tasty! Would definately make again

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• tobago

  29 July 2008

  tobago rated this recipe

  

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• DJO

  03 August 2008

  DJO rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Absolutely fantastic - really authentic. Used pimenton rather than paprika; it gave a deep kind of flqavour.

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• EFC1878

  14 August 2008

  EFC1878 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Very similar to the way I make chilli con carnage - minor variations are the use of oregano instead of marjoram, definite inclusion of chocolate, no pepper, fresh chillies and some coriander at the end. This is very well balanced and I thoroughly enjoyed it as an alternative to my usual efforts.

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• Nelka

  16 August 2008

  Nelka commented on this recipe

  This is a really lovely and easy chilli. Loved it with brown rice, avocado with a bit of lemon juice on a side and a dollop of yogurt instead of cream to keep the bad fat content lower. Beautiful.

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• mat

  17 August 2008

  mat rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This chilli is the best...no doubt... Be prepared to keep tasting when it has been reduced to boil off the water...I add half a bottle of passata and then reduce again after adding the beans because it gives it a richer, deeper flavour, and without the passata it can taste too much like gravy! I also add double the amount of cumin and cook it slowly in a wok. I serve the dish with wraps, rice, cheese, soured cream (or yoghurt if you prefer lower fat), salsa, and the quick nachos recipe on Good Food. This one's certain to impress, just be prepared to cook it for family and friends over and over again!

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• viola

  29 August 2008

  viola commented on this recipe

  Easy to prepare and cook and the best chilli con carne recipe I've tried. Will definitely make again.

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• d2onw

  03 September 2008

  d2onw commented on this recipe

  I made this for our friends and was a complete success. Really lovely recipe, although I did add a little more chilli and I used mixed mexican beans which you can now buy in tins at Asda. Yummy!

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• welshleo

  04 September 2008

  welshleo commented on this recipe

  I made this last night and my partner said that it was the best chilli he had ever tasted!

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• MoysRecipes

  12 September 2008

  MoysRecipes rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Have been making this chilli since 2002 I add mushrooms and the dark chocolate. Have passed this recipe on to many of my friends who all agree it is the best ever.

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• lurvlyloz

  15 September 2008

  lurvlyloz rated and commented on this recipe

  

  very ncie & easy to make. like the secret ingredient :) i make double batches & freeze for the boyfriend to eat when im out and it still tastes great

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves , peeled
• 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder (or 1 level tbsp if you only have mild)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 500g lean minced beef
• 1 beef stock cube
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 410g can red kidney beans
• soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice , to serve

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 50 mins 1 hr 10 mins

Can be frozen

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves , peeled
• 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder (or 1 level tbsp if you only have mild)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 500g lean minced beef
• 1 beef stock cube
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 410g can red kidney beans
• soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice , to serve

Per serving

387 kcalories, protein 36g, carbohydrate 25g, fat 17 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 6g, salt 2.32 g

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