Chorizo And Beef Chili Con Carne Recipe

Why settle for one meat when you can have two? In this recipe, ground beef and chorizo join forces to make the most flavorful chili you've ever had. With a little bit of heat from chili powder and jalapeños, a touch of tomato paste, and three types of beans to fill it out (a somewhat controversial chili ingredient), this chili recipe promises to become your new go-to.

Lots of chili recipes out there use a whole big can of tomatoes and wind up tasting like a beefy tomato soup, whether the main ingredient is beef or ground turkey. In this recipe, the only tomato used is ¼ cup tomato paste, which provides that deep, rich tomato umami without watering down the chili. Less tomato leaves more room for the stars of the show, beef and chorizo, to shine.

Next time you're hankering for a bowl of that Tex-Mex classic, chili con carne, give this recipe a try. Topped with a little cheese, sour cream, and chives, it's a guaranteed win. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, there are plenty of other exciting chili toppings out there.

For this recipe, you will need ground beef and chorizo, onion, jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, tomato paste, beef broth (or boullion), one can each of black, pinto, and kidney beans, and a little bit of sugar. Get those ingredients together, drain the beans, chop the vegetables, and you are ready to cook.

Bring a large pot to high heat and add the ground beef and chorizo. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a spatula for 5-6 minutes, until plenty of fat has rendered.

Add the onion and jalapeño to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes, until the onions turn translucent.

Next, add the cumin, chili powder, and tomato paste. Mix together well and cook for 4-5 minutes, until you can smell the tomato paste caramelizing.

Pour in the broth, bring back to high heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.

Stir in the beans and simmer for 3 minutes

Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, and add salt to taste.

Serve hot with sour cream, grated cheese, corn chips, and chopped chives, if desired.

Properly storing whatever is left of the pot of chili is important to ensure freshness and flavor for the next meal. For short-term storage, you can simply toss it in the fridge. Wait until the chili has cooled to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container and pop it into the refrigerator. Keeping out air both maintains the flavor of the chili and reduces the risk of possible contamination. Properly refrigerated, leftover chili con carne will keep for up to 4 days.

If you wish to store your leftover chili con carne for longer than 4 days, it should be frozen. If properly stored, frozen chili can keep for as long as 6 months. Proper storage means placing the chili in an airtight container, ideally with little additional space. The more space in the container, the higher the risk of freezer burn, which significantly impacts the flavor. If you don't have a freezer-safe container of the perfect volume, consider using a zip-top bag. Once the chili is in the bag, you can squeeze out excess air, creating a perfect storage environment.

To reheat, simply warm in a pot on the stove or, for a single serving, in a covered bowl in the microwave. A splash of water added to the pot will prevent the chili from drying out when reheating. If your leftover chili is frozen, it is ideal to thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.

This recipe uses Mexican chorizo and ground beef to create an exceptionally flavorful chili con carne base, but there are options to replace the chorizo, if you can't find it at your local market or are simply looking for an alternative.

Longaniza is a perfect substitution if you cannot find chorizo. Longaniza is another Hispanic sausage with many variants, but Mexican longaniza is very similar to Mexican chorizo. The primary difference between the two is generally how the meat is prepared. Chorizo is typically made with ground pork, whereas longaniza is often made with minced pork. They are spiced very similarly, and contain similar amounts of fat, so they can be used interchangeably.

Kielbasa — a type of Polish sausage — is typically made from pork or a combination of pork and beef. It's generally less spicy than chorizo, with a different flavor profile, but it could still work here if you doctor it up a bit with some paprika, garlic, and chili powder.