Cowboy Chili

Name: Cowboy Chili
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h 45 min
Yield: 14 servings (3-1/2 quarts)
Cuisine: North America, Southwest
Ingredients: 1 whole garlic bulb; 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 2 dried ancho chiles; 2 dried chipotle chiles; 1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer; 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces; 2 large onions, chopped; 3 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained; 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained; 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Optional: Shredded cheddar cheese and sliced jalapeno pepper, seeded

Total Time Prep: 45 min. Cook: 7 hours

Yield 14 servings (3-1/2 quarts)

Test Kitchen Approved

Hearty enough for a crew of hungry ranchers, this easy cowboy chili recipe is destined to become a fall favorite.

Ingredients

1 whole garlic bulb
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried chipotle chiles
1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer
3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
3 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: Shredded cheddar cheese and sliced jalapeno pepper, seeded

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb, but do not peel or separate the cloves. Cut off top of garlic bulb, exposing individual cloves. Brush cut cloves with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap in foil. Bake until cloves are soft, 30-35 minutes. Unwrap and cool slightly. Squeeze garlic from skins; mash with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast chiles on both sides until puffy, 3-6 minutes. (Do not blacken.) Cool. Remove stems and seeds; coarsely chop chiles. Place in a small bowl; cover with beer. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes.
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, adding additional oil if needed; transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker. In the skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until tender. Add to beef.
Stir in the remaining ingredients, mashed garlic and dried chiles mixture. Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours or until meat is tender. If desired, serve with cheese and jalapenos.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 301 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 60mg cholesterol, 588mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 8g fiber), 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable.

Toasting the peppers for this cowboy chili releases their earthy flavors. I recommend wearing gloves when handling dried peppers and seeds. —Rachel Sprinkel, Hilo, Hawaii

Recipe Creator