Best Black Bean Chili

In our church connection group, which met at my house this week, we had a dish I love so much and wrote about a while back, Brazilian Rum-Baked Black Beans.

There was a big bowl of leftovers and I stuck them in the fridge. When the snow hit yesterday, the first thing that hit my mind was chili. So today I used the black beans, which had already been well seasoned and made quite a tasty dish. Here’s what I did:

BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN CHILI
3 tbsp olive oil or bacon fat
3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tablespoons chili powder (I used Penzey’s Chili 9000)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corianter
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 3-ounce can tomato paste
2 cups water
1 12-ounce bottle beer (I used Blue Moon)
2 to 3 cups leftover Brazilian Black Beans
Salt to taste

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the clumps, just until no longer pink. Sprinkle with the spices and continue cooking, stirring, for about two minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, water and beer. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Add the beans and stir well. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until it reaches the thickness you like. Taste and add salt as needed. I also added a tablespoon of brown sugar but that’s optional depending on your taste.