Slow-cooked beef chilli with black beans, smoked paprika and lime

Serves - 4 to 6

You’ll need

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 800g beef mince
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of chilli flakes, or more to taste
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 250ml beef stock
• 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• Small handful coriander, roughly chopped
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Brown the beef properly

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large casserole or deep saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until properly browned and catching a little in places. You want real colour here, not grey mince simply going through the motions. Once browned, lift it out into a bowl and set aside.

2. Start the base

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, then add the onion and red pepper with a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant and heading in the right direction.

3. Add the spices

Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano and chilli flakes. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute so the spices wake up properly, then add the tomato purée and cook for another minute or two. It should already be smelling like dinner is going to work out just fine.

4. Build the chilli

Return the browned beef to the pan, then pour in the chopped tomatoes and beef stock. Give everything a good stir, bring it up to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat down low. Cover loosely and cook for 1 hour, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender and the sauce has deepened and thickened. This is where the slow-cooked bit earns its keep.

5. Add the black beans

Stir in the black beans and cook for another 20–25 minutes, uncovered, until they are warmed through and the chilli has reduced to the right sort of consistency. You want it rich and spoonable, not loose and soupy.

6. Finish properly

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime zest, most of the lime juice and most of the coriander. Have a taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, a little more lime juice or more chilli if it needs it. It should feel deep, smoky and savoury, with just enough lime to lift everything rather than dominate it.

7. Serve

Spoon into bowls and finish with the remaining coriander. Very good with rice, warm tortillas, baked potatoes or a bowl of something cool and creamy on the side if that suits the mood.

A couple of helpful notes
- If you have a little more time, let the chilli sit for 10–15 minutes before serving. Like many good things, it settles into itself beautifully.
- A square of dark chocolate stirred in at the end would not hurt if you want a slightly deeper, rounder finish.
- This is one of those dishes that often tastes even better the next day, which is useful if you are cooking ahead rather than simply getting lucky with leftovers.