Wise Choice Chili

A bold, slow-simmered chili layered with fresh vegetables, rich spices, and tender Anasazi beans. This one's built for flavor and comfort.

If you want pans that heat evenly and clean easily, this is the newer Ninja set I recommend.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

Beans

• 2 cups dried Anasazi beans, soaked overnight

Meat & aromatics

• 2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 serrano peppers, sliced into rings
• 1 Tbs minced garlic

Spices

• ¼ cup chili powder (divided)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Liquids & canned

• 1 can Coors Banquet beer
• 1 can V8 juice
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (4 oz) can green chilies
• 2 cups beef broth

Directions

1. Rinse soaked beans and cook in a separate pot for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large stock pot, begin browning ground beef over medium heat with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. When meat is halfway browned, add onion, celery, bell pepper, serrano peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, and half of the chili powder. Stir and continue browning until vegetables are tender.
4. Pour in beer and simmer for 10 minutes to deepen flavor.
5. Stir in V8 juice, lemon juice, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies, and remaining chili powder.
6. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add cooked beans and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
8. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

• Soak ahead: Soak the Anasazi beans overnight and pre-cook them separately so they finish tender without soaking up all the chili’s liquid.
• Dial the heat: Use one serrano or seed them for a milder pot, or add more for extra kick.
• Split the chili powder: Adding half early and half late builds both deep and fresh chili flavor—don’t dump it all in at once.
• Simmer uncovered: Keep the lid off during the 25-minute simmer so the chili reduces and thickens.
• Better tomorrow: The flavor deepens overnight; it keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes well.

Why This Works

• Browned beef: Cooking the ground beef until it browns creates savory fond and Maillard flavor that anchors the whole pot.
• Bloomed spices: Stirring the chili powder, oregano, and cumin in with the vegetables toasts them so their flavor opens up before the liquids go in.
• Layered liquids: Beer, V8, lemon, and tomatoes add acidity and complexity that keep the rich beef and beans from tasting flat.
• Long simmer: Time on the heat melds the spices, meat, and beans into one cohesive, comforting chili.