Go Back

Chilli Con Carne

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • beef dripping
  • 1 kg beef mince
  • 2 onions thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 500 ml coffee freshly brewed
  • 2 chipotle chillies
  • 2 ancho chillies
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds toasted
  • 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 green birds’ eye chillies
  • 400 g kidney beans

Instructions

  • Heat the fat in a large, heavy-bottomed pan on a high heat, then brown the mince in batches, stirring regularly: don't crowd the pan, or it will steam rather than brown. Add the onions and stir fry briefly, until slightly browned.
  • Turn the heat down and add the garlic. Stir and cook until the onion has completely softened, then add the coffee and a generous pinch of salt and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, cut the stalks off the dried chillies and take out the seeds. Grind together in a pestle and mortar with rock salt and the roasted cumin seeds. Stir in the oregano and chilli powder.
  • Add the spices to the pan along with the sugar fresh chillies and simmer, partially covered, for another half hour, adding a little water if it seems dry, or you prefer a saucier chilli. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add the beans, taste, and adjust the seasoning and spicing if necessary. If possible, leave overnight and reheat to serve.

Notes

A 200g can of La Morena chipotle chillies in adobe sauce can replace the chillies and chilli powder in the recipe if desired.