Easy Weeknight Chili

Getting a ground beef chili with bold, long-simmered flavor in a pressure cooker is easy because under pressure the meat quickly picks up the flavor of the spices. A combination of chili powder, cumin, and garlic was all it took to get the job done. We used crushed tomatoes plus chicken broth for a base with the proper consistency. Browning the beef to develop flavor is standard in most ground beef chilis, but we found browned meat overcooked and became gritty in the pressure cooker. To avoid this, we cooked the meat until it just lost its pink color. Given the 10-minute cooking time, dried beans weren’t an option, so we turned to canned kidney beans. Serve with your favorite chili garnishes.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. BUILD FLAVOR: Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and broth, scraping up any browned bits.

Step 2

2. HIGH PRESSURE FOR 10 MINUTES: Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.

Step 3

3. QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.

Step 4

4. BEFORE SERVING: Bring chili to simmer, stir in beans, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Step 5

Variation: Easy Weeknight Chili with Moroccan Spices and Chickpeas Omit chili powder. Add 4 teaspoons sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to pot with cumin, garlic, and salt. Substitute 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed, for kidney beans. Add 1 cup raisins, if desired, to pot with the beans before serving.

Step 6

RTK: reduced chili powder and bumped cumin to control spiciness for Emily. No adobo! Reduced chicken stock for thickness. Add cornstarch slurry at end? Or add crushed corn chips or masa before pressure?