This bean-free chili is spicy, flavorful and full of veggies. The recipe makes a BIG batch on purpose. I like to freeze half of it right away and use it later to whip up a quick dinner. You can serve the chili over baked sweet potatoes, on top of grass-fed hot dogs, or just eat as is. Top it with avocado and cilantro or a dollop of coconut yogurt.
Notes: Don’t fear fish sauce; it will not make the chili taste fishy, it just adds umami depth to the sauce. Bacon and fish sauce add a salty taste to the chili, so wait until the end to taste, and adjust for salt if needed. This was made in an 8 quart instant pot; you can half the recipe if using a smaller pressure cooker, or if you just do not want a huge batch. Omit the crushed red pepper and only use one jalapeno and serrano if you are not a fan of spicy food!
Spicy Instant Pot Chili
Ingredients
- 3 lbs grass fed ground beef
- 8 oz uncured bacon
- 1 each yellow, orange, and red bell pepper
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 2 serrano peppers
- 1 habanero pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 cup beef bone broth
- 4 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1 tbsp red boat fish sauce
- Salt to taste (in the end)
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay bacon on the baking sheet without touching each other, and place in a cold oven.
- Set oven to 400ºF, bacon will cook as the oven warms. Start frequently checking when the oven reaches 400ºF. Total cook time approximately 20 minutes depending on the oven.
- Drain bacon fat and reserve in a small container for later use. Once cooled chop the bacon and set aside.
- While bacon is cooking chop bell peppers, onion, jalapeno, serrano, and habanero peppers and mince the garlic.
- In a large skillet brown the ground beef on medium-high heat in batches using some of the reserved bacon fat. Drain ground beef on a paper towel lined large plate. (You could also use the Instant Pot to brown the ground beef, but I prefer to brown it in a large skillet to avoid boiling the ground beef).
- Set Instant Pot to saute and add a tablespoon of reserved bacon fat into the pot.
- Add chopped vegetables and garlic from step 5 into the Instant Pot.
- Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper into the pot.
- Saute/stir contents of the instant pot until spices are fragrant, and onion is translucent approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Turn off the saute function.
- Add drained ground beef into the pot and stir.
- Pour in the beef bone broth. Make sure it reaches the bottom of the pot. (This will make it easier for the instant pot to pressurize).
- Add the tomato paste and the drained tomatoes on top of the mixture. DO NOT MIX. Mixing in the tomatoes and paste will thicken the mixture, and make it harder for the instant pot to pressurize.
- Seal the Instant Pot according to manufacturer’s directions and set on manual high pressure for 10 minutes. Natural release until the instant pot is depressurized.
- Stir chili and check for salt. If the chili is too soupy for your taste, set the instant pot to saute and cook a few more minutes. Note sauce will thicken as it stands/cools.
Notes
- Don’t fear fish sauce, it will not make the chili taste fishy, it just adds umami depth to the sauce.
- Bacon and fish sauce add a salty taste to the chili, so wait until the end to taste and adjust for salt if needed.
- This was made in an 8 quart instant pot, you can half the recipe if using a smaller pressure cooker, or if you simply do not want a huge batch.
- Omit the crushed red pepper and only use one jalapeno and serrano if you are not a fan of spicy food.
- If the chili is too soupy for your taste, set the instant pot to saute and cook a few more minutes. Note sauce will thicken as it stands/cools.
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