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–+ servings

Game Day Chili

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours

Equipment

Ingredients  

Homemade Chile Paste

  • 5-6 large guajillo chiles, dried
  • 4-5 large ancho chiles, dried
  • 2 ½ cups beef broth
  • 6 ounce can of tomato paste

Game Day Chili

  • 1.5 - 2 pounds ground beef, chili grind
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15 ounce can of pinto beans
  • 1 15 ounce can of red kidney beans
  • 1 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 1 12 ounce bottle dark beer, such as Shiner Bock
  • 1 4.5 ounce can of chopped green chiles
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 3 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Optional Garnishes

  • shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
  • sour cream
  • green onions, diced
  • jalapenos
  • avocado

Instructions 

Homemade Chile Paste

  • In a medium saucepan warm the beef broth.
  • Split and deseed dried chiles.
  • Toast chiles in a cast iron pan for approximately 20-30 seconds per side. Chiles will begin to have a fruity smell and darken, resembling leather. Be careful not to over-toast.
  • Tear or cut chiles into 1-2 inch pieces and add chiles to broth. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat, letting sit for 5-10 minutes.
  • Blend chiles and beef broth in a blender for approximately 2-3 minutes or until chiles have been broken down. Add tomato paste and then blend until smooth.
  • Using a spatula work the chile mixture through a wire strainer to remove residual chile stems or seeds.

Game Day Chili

  • Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Stir until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well.
  • Combine remaining ingredients including chile paste and beer with the meat mixture and bring to a boil
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours or until chili has thickened.
  • Serve hot and topped with your favorite garnishes or side.

Notes

1. Chile Paste: Dried ancho and guajillo chiles are now more widely available in grocery stores or online. You can substitute other chiles but this will alter the flavor of the chili. You can also skip the toasting step and use 2 12-ounce cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce blended with the beef broth and tomato paste. 
2. Chili Powder Substitute: You can substitute 2-3 tablespoons of chili powder for the homemade chile paste. Add the chili powder, beef broth, and tomato paste to the cooked ground beef when the other ingredients are added.
2. Beans: Pinto and red kidney beans are the classic choices for our Game Day Chili. You could use black, white, or cannellini in a pinch, but it would affect the taste of the final product.  
3. Garnishes: We've listed the classic garnishes for chili, but some other great choices include: diced white onion, diced radish, cojita cheese, saltine crackers, and of course corn chips.
4. Nutritional information: The nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.  The nutritional value is only for the chili and does not include the nutritional value of any toppings or sides. It does not include the nutrition for any substitutions.
5. Be sure to check out the Key Ingredients along with the Recipe Tips and Notes sections found in the post, for more tips, make-ahead tips, options, substitutions, and variations for this recipe! You will also find step-by-step photos there.