The Secret Ingredients in this Beef Chili will shock you! Easy Beef Chili recipe everyone loves!

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Turkey is lower in fat; pork is often less expensive.

kidney beans

🥗Healthier: black beans

💰Cheaper: pinto beans

Black beans are more nutritious; pinto beans are usually cheaper.

Rinse off 1/2 cup dried black lentils to remove any dust.

Add 4 cups of chicken bone broth to the Instant Pot with the lentils.

Pressure cook the lentils for 6 minutes and let them natural pressure release for about 10 minutes.

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, add 3 slices of bacon over medium heat to render the fat.

Once the bacon has rendered, remove the bacon bits but leave the fat in the skillet.

Add chopped bell pepper (equivalent to 1 bell pepper), 1/2 large onion, 1 rib of celery, and 2 carrots to the bacon fat and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until they start to sweat.

Add 3 cloves of chopped garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

Add 1 pound of 85/15 ground beef to the skillet and cook until mostly browned.

Add spices: chili powder, thyme, oregano, cumin, white pepper, smoked paprika, and a bay leaf; toast the spices in the beef for about 30 seconds.

Add 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the skillet.

Add the cooked lentils and all of the chicken bone broth to the skillet.

Add the bacon bits back into the chili, along with 1 teaspoon of better than Bouillon beef and a little bit of beef Bouillon powder.

Season with salt and crushed red chili peppers to taste.

Bring the chili to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.

Allow the chili to cook for about 40 minutes, checking at 30 minutes for consistency.

If the chili is too loose, uncover and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes until it thickens.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary