Pork, beef & lamb· DF

Beef Chilli

Name: Beef Chilli
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 500g beef mince 20% fat; 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes; 180g (2 small) onion; 160g (1 large) red pepper; 120g (½ tin) kidney beans, drained; 80g carrot, grated; 12g (3 cloves) garlic; 4g smoked paprika; 4g cumin; 3g chilli powder; 1g cinnamon; 15ml soy sauce; 15ml worcestershire sauce; 5ml rapeseed oil

Classic beef chilli with kidney beans, smoky paprika and a hint of cinnamon.

makes 20 blocks, about 28p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/beef-chilli/

Time: 1 hr 30 min15 min prep · 1 hr 15 min cook
Makes: 20 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 28p
Calories per blockCalories: 87 kcal
Spice: 3 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

500gbeef mince 20% fat
2 × 400g tinschopped tomatoes
180g (2 small)onion
160g (1 large)red pepper
120g (½ tin)kidney beans, drained
80gcarrot, grated
12g (3 cloves)garlic
4gsmoked paprika
4gcumin
3gchilli powder
1gcinnamon
15mlsoy sauce
15mlworcestershire sauce
5mlrapeseed oil

Allergens: Gluten, Fish, Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Rice with soured cream and spring onions · A jacket or sweet potato · Tortilla chips and cheese for quick nachos

Method

Step 1: Brown the mince in the oil over a high heat for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until properly brown rather than grey. Spoon off pooled fat for a leaner result.
Step 2: Add the onion, pepper and carrot for 6–8 minutes, then the garlic and all the spices for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, soy and Worcestershire, plus about 50ml water rinsed round each tin. Bring to a simmer.
Step 4: Simmer with the lid half on for 45 minutes, stirring now and then.
Step 5: Add the kidney beans and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until a spoon dragged across the base leaves a clear line.
Step 6: Season, cool and freeze in blocks of about 67–70g.

Hotter: add 1 tsp hot chilli powder or a chopped chipotle in adobo.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	87	5.5g	4.2g	5.3g	1.2g	0.2g
Per 3 blocks	261	16.5g	12.6g	15.9g	3.6g	0.6g

Cook’s notes

Add 1 tsp cocoa powder or a square of dark chocolate with the tomatoes for depth.
Aldi's Ashfields 20% mince (~£2.49 for 500g) brings the batch to about £4.80.
Slow cooker: brown the mince and onions, then 6 hours on Low; beans in for the last 30 minutes.

Serve it

Rice with soured cream and spring onions · A jacket or sweet potato · Tortilla chips and cheese for quick nachos.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 261 kcal and 16.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Beef Chilli questions

Can I use leaner mince?

Mince with 5% or 10% fat works. There will be little or no fat to spoon off, so you may want a touch more oil when you soften the vegetables.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Swap the mince for an extra tin of beans and some diced mushrooms or soya mince. Check the Worcestershire sauce, as most contain anchovies.

Why brown the mince so hard?

Properly browned mince gives a deeper, meatier flavour, while grey, steamed mince makes a flatter chilli. Spread it out and let it colour before you break it up.