Braised Beef Chilli Recipe (Ready in 70 Min)

An easy Mexican beef built around beef, chorizo and allspice — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.

You'll mainly reach for oven and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 120C/225F/gas mark 1.
Take the meat out of the fridge to de-chill. Pulse the onions and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole and sear the meat on all sides until golden.
Set to one side and add another small slug of oil to brown the chorizo.
Remove and add the onion and garlic, spices, herbs and chillies then cook until soft in the chorizo oil.
Season with salt and pepper and add the vinegar, tomatoes, ketchup and sugar.
Put all the meat back into the pot with 400ml water (or red wine if you prefer), bring up to a simmer and cook, covered, in the low oven.
After 2 hours, check the meat and add the beans. Cook for a further hour and just before serving, pull the meat apart with a pair of forks.

You'll use: Oven · Large pot · Saucepan · Food processor

Tips & common questions

How long does Braised Beef Chilli take to make?

About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 17 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of brown sugar?

Try white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

How should I store leftovers?

Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.