Authentic Chili con Carne

Ground beef, kidney beans, roasted bell pepper and tomatoes simmered under a lid in a single sauté pan, with cumin, paprika and a hint of cayenne, served with white rice.

It’s been raining since morning, night falls early, and you want a dish that truly warms you up. In the sauté pan, the cumin and paprika are already filling the whole kitchen with their aroma while the tomato sauce slowly thickens under the lid.

The beef stays juicy, the kidney beans turn meltingly tender and the roasted pepper slips a subtle smoky note into every spoonful. The chili is served alongside piping hot white rice, and the first bowl disappears faster than expected.

What Is Chili con Carne?

Chili con carne is a spicy beef and tomato stew. In the home-style version cooked in France, ground beef, kidney beans, half a roasted red bell pepper and peeled tomatoes simmer, covered, in a single sauté pan, with onions, cumin, sweet paprika and a little cayenne pepper. A few drops of Tabasco liven it all up, and the chili is served with white rice. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the spoon.

The name comes from Spanish and means “chili pepper with meat.” In France, it mostly refers to this dish of ground beef, tomatoes and kidney beans, which is saucier than Texas chili.

From the Chili Queens of San Antonio to French Tables

Chili con carne was born on the border between Texas and northern Mexico. In the 19th century, in San Antonio, Tejana vendors nicknamed the Chili Queens served it on the street, straight from their pots, to soldiers, cowboys and travelers. Texas declared it its official dish in 1977.

In Texas, purists keep the beans out of the pot and cook the meat in chunks, with a paste made from dried chili peppers. Elsewhere, most families have adopted beans, tomatoes and ground beef, which are simpler and cheaper. It’s this version that has made itself at home in French households, alongside other Tex-Mex dishes like beef nachos.

The Main Ingredients in Chili con Carne

Ground beef made from 100% beef stays tender and breaks up into the sauce as it simmers. Canned kidney beans, drained well, turn the dish into a complete meal and make it slightly creamy.

The peeled tomatoes go in with their juice and are then crushed with a fork right in the sauté pan: they make the sauce, and their acidity balances the beef.

Two thinly sliced onions, softened without browning, give the sauce body, as in beef with onions. Cumin brings warmth, sweet paprika the color, and cayenne pepper and Tabasco the heat. These three spices are also the base of a homemade chili powder, but here each one is measured separately.

The bell pepper is what makes the difference. Roasted in the oven until the skin blackens, then peeled and diced, it adds a slightly smoky sweetness. Plain white rice goes alongside the chili and tames the heat; yellow rice with butter and garlic works too.

Technique Pointers for a Good Chili con Carne

Sweat the onions without letting them brown before adding the spices, bell pepper, beans and meat. Then allow at least an hour of simmering, covered, over low heat, ideally three: the heat mellows and the sauce thickens. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

The same slow cooking gives its charm to Mexican shredded beef and beef rendang, two other beef dishes that benefit from a long simmer.

At the table, serve the chili with the rice. Homemade guacamole and grated Gruyère can round out the bowl for anyone who wants them. To keep the meal going, beef tacos or a beef and bean stir-fry follow the same idea of a hearty beef dish.