Rich, warming, endlessly useful — and better the next day

A proper chilli con carne is not a quick-stir pasta sauce with beans. It is a slow-cooked braise of diced beef with a complex sauce built from dried chillies, toasted spices, and time. Using diced beef instead of mince gives it a heartier texture — chunks of fall-apart beef that hold their own against the bold sauce.

2 hrs 55 mins 6 servings Prep 25 minsCook 2 hrs 30 minsMain CourseMexican

Ingredients

  • 480g Your Farmer diced beef
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (or, if you can find them, 2 dried ancho chillies, stems and seeds removed)
  • 1–2 chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, roughly chopped (or 1 tsp chipotle powder)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red capsicum, diced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tin kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tins crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 20g dark chocolate (70%+)
  • Salt and olive oil
  • Sour cream, fresh coriander, corn chips, rice or jacket potato to serve

Instructions

If using dried ancho chillies: toast them in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side, soak in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and blend to a paste with a splash of the soaking liquid. Using the smoked paprika and chilli flakes instead? Skip this step — they go in with the dry spices at step 3.

2 dried ancho chillies (optional)

Brown the diced beef in batches in a heavy pot over high heat. Remove.

480g diced beef

Sauté onion and capsicum for 8 minutes. Add garlic and dry spices — including the 2 tbsp smoked paprika and chilli flakes if you skipped the anchos — and cook for 2 minutes.

1 onion1 red capsicum4 cloves garlicdry spices

Add the ancho chilli paste (if you made it) and the chipotle. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

ancho chilli paste (if using)1–2 chipotle chillies

Return the beef. Add the crushed tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer.

2 tins crushed tomatoes1 cup beef stock

Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 1.5–2 hours until the beef is tender.

Add the beans and simmer uncovered for a further 20 minutes.

1 tin beans

Stir in the dark chocolate and season to taste.

20g dark chocolate

Serve over rice or with corn chips, topped with sour cream and fresh coriander.

sour creamfresh coriandercorn chips

Appears in

In every beef share — Diced Beef (480g)

Your Farmer CSA grass-fed beef share — vacuum-sealed steaks, roasts, mince and sausages, paddock-to-plate NSW & ACT delivery
CSA Grass Fed Beef Share
From $176.67
Grass-fed diced beef from Your Farmer — vacuum-sealed paddock-to-plate, NSW & ACT delivery
Grass-Fed Diced Beef (approx 480g)
$16.79

The Dried Chilli Difference

If you’ve only ever made chilli with chilli powder from a jar, dried whole chillies are a revelation. Ancho chillies are mild, fruity, and chocolatey. Chipotle adds a smoky heat. Together, they build a complexity that no spice blend can replicate. If you spot dried anchos at a specialty grocer or a good deli, grab them — they’re the weekend upgrade. No luck? The smoked paprika and chilli flake base still builds a rich, smoky pot, and the chipotle does plenty of the heavy lifting.

💡 A small piece of dark chocolate (70%+) stirred in at the end is the finishing touch that deepens the whole flavour profile without tasting of chocolate. Use about 20g.

Bold flavour from honest beef. Join the Your Farmer community. 🌶️

0 commentson Grass-Fed Beef Chilli Con Carne: The One-Pot Wonder

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