Chilly Chili Weather
RECIPES

Chilly Chili Weather

There is a chili style for everyone.

Ready IN
1 hr
Servings
4
Save
By Lynda Balslev
Updated:

October’s crisp weather invites a pot of simmering chili to cook slowly on the stove, filling the kitchen with warmth and wafts of smoke and spice. There is a chili style for everyone; it can be adapted for carnivores or vegetarians, brimming with beans or bobbing with chunky vegetables.

Not a meat-eater? No problem; just double up on the beans. Crave more substance? Add a hearty grain to thicken the broth. Not too keen on spicy heat? Opt for sweeter peppers in place of hot.

This recipe is a template for when the chili craving strikes. The base is a tomato-rich stock amplified by a good shake of Southwestern spices. A healthy pour of stout beer fortifies the stock, providing a robust and slightly malty backbone. Barley grains thicken and add texture and extra nutrients to the stew.

Feel free to tinker with the ingredients. Beef can be substituted with grass-fed bison, which is leaner and richer in protein and omega-3s than beef. Or switch to pork, ground turkey, or chicken. (Substitute a lighter ale if you choose a lighter meat.) For a vegetarian version, omit the meat entirely and add an extra helping of black beans or another bean, such as kidney. Another grain, such as farro or quinoa, can be substituted for the barley.

Chilly Chili Weather
Lynda Balslev
Time
1 hr
(Prep 20 minsCook 40 mins)
Servings
4
ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef or bison
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 to 3 chiles in adobo, finely chopped with juices
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes with juice
  • 8 ounces stout beer, such as Guinness
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups precooked black beans or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup precooked barley (optional)
For Garnish
  • Sliced jalapeño pepper
  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Crumbled cotija cheese
  • Chopped red onion
Instructions
STEP 1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook the meat until it releases its juices and begins to brown, stirring occasionally, until the juices are nearly evaporated, about 8 minutes. Do not rush this process. Transfer the meat to a plate.
STEP 2
Add 1 tablespoon more oil to the pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until softened without coloring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the peppers and sauté until brightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, chiles in adobo, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
STEP 3
Return the beef to the pot with any collected juices. Add the tomatoes, stout, bay leaf, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and gently simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Taste for seasoning and add more sugar or salt if desired.
STEP 4
Stir in the black beans and barley and continue to simmer until heated through, about 10 more minutes.
STEP 5
Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Serve with the garnishes for sprinkling.
Note
Serves 4 to 6
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Lynda Balslev
Lynda Balslev
Author
Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author, food and travel writer, and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her Danish husband, two children, a cat, and a dog. Balslev studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and worked as a personal chef, culinary instructor, and food writer in Switzerland and Denmark. Copyright 2026 Lynda Balslev. Distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication.