Try this Beef and Black Bean Chili recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef (at least 90%)
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1 can muir glenâ„¢ organic fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 can progressoâ„¢ black beans (drained rinsed, 15 ounces)
- 1 can can old el pasoâ„¢ chopped green chiles (4.5 ounces
- Carbohydrate 0.358890556276383 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.8122461120625 g
- Fiber 0.22377222763234 g
- Protein 0.0802983334950117 g
- Saturated Fat 0.144684100787179 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (98g)
- Sodium 7.35744445843162 mg
- Sugar 0.135118328644042 g
- Trans Fat 0.0387723090732613 g
- Calories 17 calories
Step-by-step
- On Instant Pot™, select SAUTE; adjust to normal. Heat oil in insert. Add beef, onions, chili powder and salt; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Select CANCEL.
- Stir in tomatoes, beans, chiles and water. Secure lid; set pressure valve to SEALING. Select MANUAL; cook on high pressure 5 minutes. Select CANCEL. Keep pressure valve in SEALING position to release pressure naturally.
The Sauté Phase and Thermal Conduction
Timing the initial browning phase dictates the depth of flavor in this dish. Heat vegetable oil in the pressure cooker insert until it shimmers before introducing the extra-lean ground beef and yellow onions. Cook this mixture for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even contact with the metal base. This process triggers the Maillard reaction, forming complex savory compounds on the surface of the meat. Excess moisture must evaporate completely during this window. If liquid pools in the insert, the meat will steam rather than brown.
Pressure Cooking and Starch Gelatinization
Securing the lid and setting the pressure valve to sealing initiates the high-pressure cooking cycle. Program the appliance for 5 minutes at high pressure. Water boils at a higher temperature under pressure, forcing heat into the ingredients rapidly. This thermal environment softens the cellular walls of the yellow onions and hydrates the chili powder spices quickly. Natural release is mandatory here. Allowing the pressure to drop naturally over approximately 15 minutes prevents rapid steam expansion from rupturing the black beans.
Managing Bean and Tomato Integrity
Texture depends entirely on how the canned elements interact with the heat. Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes contain natural acids that firm up pectin in the bean skins, preventing them from dissolving into mush. Rinsing the canned black beans removes excess surface starches that can scorch against the base of the insert. Green chiles add capsaicin oils that disperse evenly through the liquid during the pressure cycle. Avoid a quick-release method, as the sudden drop in atmospheric pressure forces boiling liquid out of the valve and splits the beans open.
