Instant Pot Chili Con Carne
Photo by Rocky Luten
- Serves
- about 6
- Prep Time
- 10 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 55 Minutes
Achiote paste—a seasoning blend from the Yucatan with dried peppers, annatto seeds, cumin, often dried garlic, and other spices—amps up the flavor of this stew-like beef chili. Serve ladled over rice, or on its own. Just don't forget your favorite toppings. Mince are mined shallots, grated cheddar, green onion, and sour cream.
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper, for seasoning meat
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 pound beef chuck, cut into roughly 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup minced shallots, plus more for topping (from about 3 to 6 shallots, depending on size)
- 1/2 cup diced jalapeño (from about 2 medium jalapeños)
- 2 tablespoon achiote rojo paste (like El Mexicano brand)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste (preferably double concentrated)
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon lime juice, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup dried kidney beans, soaked for about 4 hours, then rinsed
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Directions
- Step 1
Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the beef cubes and rub it into their surfaces. Turn your Instant Pot onto sauté mode. Heat one tablespoon butter until melted and foaming. Add roughly half of the beef (to avoid crowding) and brown thoroughly on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with remaining tablespoon of butter and the rest of the beef, until you’ve browned and set aside all of meat.
- Step 2
Add the shallots, jalapeños, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to Instant Pot. Sauté about 3 minutes, until the shallots are soft and translucent. Make a well in the center and add the achiote paste and tomato paste. Sauté about a minute, using your utensil to crush up the achiote paste and mix everything together. Add the water and use it to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. (Make sure you scrape well to avoid any paste sticking to the bottom.) Add the crushed tomatoes, lime juice, brown sugar, kidney beans, and the browned beef, and mix well. Turn to pressure cook mode on high for 35 minutes.
- Step 3
Once cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes before utilizing the instant release function. Shred the beef with two forks. (Some of the beans may have burst during the pressure cooking—don't worry about that!) Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with more lime juice and salt. Garnish and serve.