Best Ground Beef Chili

Name: Best Ground Beef Chili
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients: 2 pounds, 85 percent lean ground beef; 2 tablespoons plus 2 cups, water; , Salt and pepper; 3/4 teaspoon, baking soda; 6 dried, ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces; 1 ounce, tortilla chips, crushed (1/4 cup); 2 tablespoons, ground cumin; 1 tablespoon, paprika; 1 tablespoon, garlic powder; 1 tablespoon, ground coriander; 2 teaspoons, dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon, dried thyme; 1 (14.5-ounce) can, whole peeled tomatoes; 1 tablespoon, vegetable oil; 1 , onion, chopped fine; 3 , garlic cloves, minced; 1—2 teaspoons, minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce; 1 (15-ounce) can, pinto beans; 2 teaspoons, sugar; 2 tablespoons, cider vinegar; , Lime wedge; Coarsely chopped, cilantro; Chopped, red onion

652 comments

By Andrew Janjigian

Appears in Cook's Illustrated November/December 2015, America's Test Kitchen TV

Ground beef chili is convenient, but its texture is often dry and grainy. With this recipe, you don't have to sacrifice flavor for convenience.

SERVES8 to 10

TIME3¼ hours

has video

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Our ground beef chili uses 85 percent lean ground beef for richness and flavor. We use only small amounts of pureed whole canned tomatoes and pinto beans to create a thick, rich dish that is best served over white rice and/or with tortilla ...

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