British chilli con carne | how to make chili con carne

Presenter / Channel

Adam’s Eats (“Adam’s eats”)

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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)

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Equipment / Preparation

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

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

1. 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).

2. 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).

3. Sweat the veg

   • In the same pan, add more olive oil.
   • Add all veg and sweat until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

4. 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.

5. 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.”

6. 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.

7. Season + finalize

   • Check seasoning:
     • Add a little salt.
     • No pepper needed because the chili covers it.
   • Finish with a final spattering of coriander.

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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.

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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).

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Sources / References

• No external sources or written references are cited in the subtitles.
• Recipe and notes are presented by Adam (Adam’s Eats).