Anne Rosenzweig's Arcadian Eight-Bean Chili

Name: Anne Rosenzweig's Arcadian Eight-Bean Chili
Yield: 25 servings
Ingredients: ¼ pound each dried kidney, white, pink, black, red, pinto, cranberry and navy beans; ¼ pounds of dried white beans; ¼ pounds of dried pink beans; ¼ pounds of dried black beans; ¼ pounds of dried red beans; ¼ pounds of dried pinto beans; ¼ pounds of dried cranberry beans; ¼ pounds of dried navy beans; 1 pound bacon; 5 large onions, peeled and chopped; ⅔ cup minced garlic; ¼ cup toasted coriander seeds, ground; ¼ cup toasted cumin seeds, ground; ¼ cup ground cinnamon; ¼ cup paprika; ¼ cup cayenne pepper, or to taste; ½ cup ground dried poblano chili peppers; 1 No. 10 can Italian plum tomatoes with juice (108 ounces); 12 ounces beer; 5 pounds lean ground beef; Salt to taste

By Joanna Pruess

Published January 17, 1987

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, plus overnight soaking
Rating: 4(18)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: FOOD; A CHILI WINTER

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share this recipe
Print this recipe
Include recipe photo
or to print this recipe.

Ingredients

Yield:About 25 servings

¼ pound each dried kidney, white, pink, black, red, pinto, cranberry and navy beans
¼ pounds of dried white beans
¼ pounds of dried pink beans
¼ pounds of dried black beans
¼ pounds of dried red beans
¼ pounds of dried pinto beans
¼ pounds of dried cranberry beans
¼ pounds of dried navy beans
1 pound bacon
5 large onions, peeled and chopped
⅔ cup minced garlic
¼ cup toasted coriander seeds, ground
¼ cup toasted cumin seeds, ground
¼ cup ground cinnamon
¼ cup paprika
¼ cup cayenne pepper, or to taste
½ cup ground dried poblano chili peppers
1 No. 10 can Italian plum tomatoes with juice (108 ounces)
12 ounces beer
5 pounds lean ground beef
Salt to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large pot, soak the beans together overnight, in water to cover. Drain and add fresh water to cover. Cook at a simmer for one-and-a-half hours, until just tender.
Step 2
While the beans are simmering, heat a large pot or saute pan. Mince the bacon and cook it until it begins to crisp. Add the onions and garlic and cook over medium heat for five minutes. Add all the spices and the ground poblano chilies and cook an additional five minutes. Add the tomatoes with juice and the beer; simmer for half an hour.
Step 3
In another pan, cook the beef until the pink color disappears. Drain and add it to tomato mixture.
Step 4
When the beans are fully cooked, drain them, reserving the water, and add the beans to the meat and tomato mixture. Add salt to taste and let the mixture simmer approximately one hour. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved liquid from the beans.