Black Bean Chili with Lime and Cilantro;crockpot or stovetop

[Sue]

My sister found this recipe online - I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds good.

Black Bean Chili with Lime and Cilantro
(Makes about 6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

(I used my new 5-Quart Smart-Pot Crock-Pot to make this chili, but I think any size that's close to that will work. Be sure the crockpot is at least half full when you use it to make soup of chili.)

2 large onions, finely chopped
2 tsp. olive oil + more for browning meat if needed
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 quart beef stock, simmer to reduce to 2 cups (I used my homemade beef stock, but you can use two cans beef broth. Don't reduce for stovetop cooking.)
3 cans (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) refried pinto beans
2 cans (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes
2 T dried cilantro
2 T chile powder (preferably New Mexico chile powder)
2 T Ancho chile powder (or 2 T more regular chile powder)
1 T ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, plus sliced limes to squeeze into chili if desired
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired

Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan, add chopped onions and saute 4-5 minutes, until softened and barely starting to brown. Add onions to crockpot. Add ground beef to same pan, adding more oil if needed, then brown beef well, breaking up with metal turner as it cooks. Add beef to crockpot.

While onions and beef are being cooked, put beef stock into saucepan and simmer until reduced to 2 cups. (Skip this step if cooking the chili on stovetop.) When stock is reduced, add refried beans and whisk to blend into stock, then add to crockpot.

While stock is reducing, place a colander in the sink and add canned black beans. Rinse beans well with cold water until no more foam appears. (This removes some of the salt from canned beans and makes them much more digestible.) Then add beans, stock-refried beans mixture, tomatoes, dried cilantro, chile powder, ancho chile powder, and ground cumin to crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until beans are soft and flavors are well blended. When chili is done, stir in lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro and let cook 15 minutes. Serve hot, with slices of lime and additional chopped cilantro to add as garnish if desired.

For stovetop cooking, skip the step of reducing the beef broth, but follow all other directions, adding ingredients to large soup pot and simmering at low heat about an hour.

[holliejjj]

You had me at black bean, lime and cilantro. Those are three of my fave things.

[Nancy]

oh that sounds SO good. I'm another fan of black beans...

[ruffages]

Hey Sue,

I have a black bean soup that is similar to this although it uses ham shanks instead of ground beef. I'll bet this would be really yummy over a cilantro lime rice. Does all that chili powder give it a nice kick? I think I may have everything I need to make this tonight.

Carolyn

[jane]

sue this sounds delicious! I'd skip the refried beans, ick. But I guess maybe it'd help the texture? Let me know, anyone, if you try this.

[ruffages]

sue this sounds delicious! I'd skip the refried beans, ick. But I guess maybe it'd help the texture? Let me know, anyone, if you try this.

Jane,

I have this on the stove top right now (started at 4pm) and if you were to look at it, there is NO WAY you would guess that it had refried beans in it, although it does look a little "creamier" than most chili. The only changes I made was I used rotelle tomatoes and I added 1 lb of diced sirloin (I have a meat guy). If you use the chipotle chili powder, you can really smell the smokiness of it.

I think I am making the cilantro lime rice to put the chili over.

Carolyn

[ruffages]

sue this sounds delicious! I'd skip the refried beans, ick. But I guess maybe it'd help the texture? Let me know, anyone, if you try this.

Jane,

I have this on the stove top right now (started at 4pm) and if you were to look at it, there is NO WAY you would guess that it had refried beans in it, although it does look a little "creamier" than most chili. The only changes I made was I used rotelle tomatoes and I added 1 lb of diced sirloin (I have a meat guy). If you use the chipotle chili powder, you can really smell the smokiness of it.

I think I am making the cilantro lime rice to put the chili over.

Carolyn

Sue, did you make this yet? WOW was it spicy! I thought it might have been the rotelle but they were mild and they shouldn't have been THAT spicy. I'm wondering if it was the 4T (that is TABLESPOONS right?) of chili powder (I used both varieties). Good thing I made the rice as it really cut the spiciness.

I'll probably freeze the leftovers then reconstitute with several more cans of diced tomatoes.

Carolyn

[ruffages]

DING! I know what I did. I used Chipotle Chili powder instead of Ancho Chili powder. DO NOT make my mistake. Check your chili powders carefully.

Carolyn

[Nancy]

I made this last night. WIthout the lime and no hot chile anything. It was really good. Similar to Jay's chili - but with a different twist. I really did like it.

[WorkingMomx3]

Sounds good, but my finicky eaters will not touch it.

[Nancy]

Linda - that's why I omitted the lime and no hot stuff. My kids scarfed it up.