Chipotle Beef Chili

State champions. 24-17. I'm going to say that again because I've been saying it to myself since Friday night and it still doesn't feel fully real. State champions. Eldorado Prep's first title since 2014. My first title as a head coach.

Jordan Rivera played the game of his life. Eighteen for twenty-five, two touchdowns, no turnovers, and three third-down conversions under pressure that were the kinds of plays you remember years later. Damien Parker caught seven passes and the overtime on the fourth-down conversion that kept the drive alive was the single best play I've been on the sideline for in twenty years.

Hector was there. He flew in — actually flew, Marisol drove him to the Albuquerque airport, he hasn't flown in fifteen years. I didn't know until I was walking off the field after the final whistle and I heard him calling my name from the stands. I looked up and saw him in the end zone, standing, both arms raised. I went up into the stands in full coaching gear and I hugged my father for a long time. He didn't say anything for a while. Then he said, "Ruben would have been so loud right now." I laughed and then I cried and he held onto my arm until I was okay.

I cooked on Saturday. Had to. The team celebration was Friday night, the press calls were Saturday morning, and by Saturday afternoon I needed to be in the kitchen where everything was just heat and time and the smell of good things transforming. Made posole rojo — the full ceremony version, six-hour broth, the pork coloring the hominy, the garnishes lined up in bowls on the counter. Fed twenty people at the house. The trophy sat on the kitchen island. State champions.

The posole that Saturday was its own ceremony — six hours, the full ritual — but if you want to carry that same spirit into your own kitchen without the full-day commitment, this chipotle beef chili is where I’d send you. It has the same smoky depth, the same sense of something transforming slowly in the pot, and it scales easily to feed a room full of people who just watched something they’ll talk about for years. Make it big. Put something meaningful on the counter next to the pot. Let people eat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or 80/20 ground beef)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, plus 2 tbsp adobo sauce
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
2 cans (15 oz each) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, lime wedges, warm tortillas

Instructions

Brown the beef. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, add the beef and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes to develop a sear, then break apart and stir. Cook until no pink remains, about 8–10 minutes total. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pot.
Sauté the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Bloom the chiles and spices. Add the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir to coat everything and cook for 2 minutes, letting the spices deepen in the fat.
Build the base. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir to fully combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Simmer low and slow. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
Add the beans and thicken. Stir in the drained kidney beans. Remove the lid and continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes, until the chili thickens to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve. Ladle into bowls and set out toppings for people to build their own. This chili holds well on low heat for hours — useful when twenty people are filtering in and out of your kitchen.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chipotle Beef Chili — What You Cook When the Trophy Comes Home