Summary of "British chilli con carne | how to make chili con carne"

Presenter / Channel

Adam’s Eats (“Adam’s eats”)

Ingredients (with quantities / amounts mentioned)

Meat + Base

Beef mince (“mints”): ~500 g
Olive oil: enough for browning/sweating (added in stages; “some”)
Red pepper: 1 large
Fresh chili: 1 “nice big fat” (seeds removed)
Onions: “a couple” — recipe calls for 1 large, so about 1½ medium-sized onions
Garlic: 2 fat cloves (or 3 smaller cloves)
Tomato purée: 2 tbsp
Ground cumin: 1 tsp
- Note: he used fresh cumin seeds ground in a pestle & mortar because he didn’t have pre-ground
Dried oregano: 1 tsp
Smoked paprika: 1½ tsp
Chopped tomatoes: quantity not specified
Beef stock: quantity not specified
Kidney beans: quantity not specified

Finishing

Dark chocolate: “a couple of squares” (small amount)
Salt and pepper: salt to taste; he says it doesn’t need pepper at the end because of the chili
Fresh coriander: final spattering (amount not specified)

Equipment / Preparation

Large pan
Plate (to set browned mince aside)
Containers (for chopped veg)
Pestle & mortar (optional—only if grinding cumin seeds)

Step-by-Step Method (technique + timings/temps)

Brown the mince (key for flavor)
- Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-high.
- Add ~500 g beef mince, break it up.
- Cook until browned all over (about 10 minutes).
  - Aim for: water evaporates first, then proper browning.
- If the mince is very fatty, you can drain off some after browning.
- Transfer to a plate; don’t wash the pan (reuse it).
Prep the vegetables
- Red pepper: core and slice down the side of each lobe; dice into small chunks.
- Onion: remove skin; cut in half; dice fairly fine.
- Fresh chili: remove top; remove seeds.
  - Tip: the chili’s hottest part is the membrane, not the seeds.
  - Add gradually: “add a little bit and… add some more at the end” since you can’t easily remove it.
- Garlic: peel and finely chop (use 2 fat cloves).
Sweat the veg
- In the same pan, add more olive oil.
- Add all veg and sweat until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato purée + spices and cook them out
- Stir in:
  - 2 tbsp tomato purée
  - 1 tsp cumin
  - 1 tsp dried oregano
  - 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- Cook out the tomato purée for about 2 minutes.
  - Tip: if you skip this, it can taste bitter.
Build the chili
- Add browned mince back in.
- Add chopped tomatoes and beef stock.
- Stir, then simmer for ~45 minutes to 1 hour, until “nice and thick and glossy and unctuous.”
Add kidney beans + chocolate finishing step
- When thick (around 45 minutes), add kidney beans.
- Add a couple of squares of dark chocolate.
- Simmer/warm through for ~5 minutes so the chocolate melts and blends.
Season + finalize
- Check seasoning:
  - Add a little salt.
  - No pepper needed because the chili covers it.
- Finish with a final spattering of coriander.

Tips / Common Mistakes (as stated)

Don’t brown the mince enough: browning adds flavor and color.
Don’t skip cooking out tomato purée: can taste bitter.
Chili heat control: the membrane is hottest; add gradually because you can’t take it away.
Chocolate role: dark chocolate rounds things off, adds depth and a little sweetness—you shouldn’t taste “chocolate” directly, but you notice if it’s missing.

Serving / Plating Suggestions

Serve with:
- Rice
- Or a jacket potato with cheese (noted as “very British” and “nice”)
He eats it with a spoon (mentions he can’t be bothered with a fork).