Homemade Chili Con Carne with Guajillo and Ancho Peppers Recipe
This hearty Chili Con Carne features tender chuck roast simmered with a rich, smoky chili sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho peppers. Enhanced with authentic Mexican spices and slow-cooked to develop deep flavors, this comforting dish is perfect served with classic chili toppings.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Chili Sauce
- 4 guajillo peppers (or 1–1.5 tbsp ground guajillo powder or chili powder blend)
- 4 ancho peppers (or 1–1.5 tbsp ground ancho powder or chili powder blend)
- Salt to taste
Chili
- 3.5–4 pound chuck roast, cut into ¾–1 inch cubes
- 1–2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2–4 cups beef stock (or tomato sauce or fire roasted tomatoes)
Optional Additions
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tomato sauce
- Chili or kidney beans
- Extra spicy chili powders
For Serving
- Crema or sour cream
- Fresh chopped herbs (such as cilantro)
- Spicy chili flakes or chopped chiles
- Shredded cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the chili sauce: Remove the stems and seeds from the dried guajillo and ancho peppers. Lightly toast the peppers in a dry pan over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes per side to release their oils.
- Soak the peppers: Place the toasted peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak for 20 minutes or until the peppers are soft.
- Blend the sauce: Add the softened peppers to a food processor along with ½ cup of the soaking water (or fresh water) and salt to taste. Process until smooth, then strain the sauce if a smoother texture is desired. Set aside.
- Sear the beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chuck roast cubes with salt and pepper. In batches, sear the beef cubes for a few minutes on each side until well browned. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour ¼ cup of beef stock into the pot to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom to capture all the flavor.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the chopped jalapenos and onion to the pot. Cook for 6-7 minutes until softened. Then add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute while stirring.
- Incorporate the chili sauce and seasonings: Pour in the reserved chili sauce and add paprika, Mexican oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, cumin, and ground coriander. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Add liquids and beef: Stir in the remaining beef stock (or tomato sauce/fire roasted tomatoes) and the seared beef cubes. Bring the mixture to a boil. For a soupier chili, add up to 4 cups of beef broth. Add any optional ingredients like Worcestershire sauce or beans now.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chili simmer gently for about 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and flavors are fully developed.
- Serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with your favorite fixings such as sour cream, fresh herbs, spicy chili flakes, and shredded cheese.
Notes
- To easily remove seeds from dried peppers, cut them open and tap or shake out the seeds before toasting.
- Adjust the amount of jalapenos and chili powders to vary the chili’s heat level to your preference.
- For thicker chili, reduce the amount of broth or simmer uncovered near the end to concentrate flavors.
- If you prefer, substitute fire-roasted tomatoes or tomato sauce for some or all of the beef stock to add tomatoes’ acidity and depth.
- This chili tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to meld.
Keywords: Chili Con Carne, Mexican chili, beef chili, slow simmered chili, hearty winter stew, guajillo chili sauce, ancho chili
