As the beef and onion cook, the pot starts to smell savory before the chili has even begun to simmer. I like that this Trail Ride Bean and Beef Chili with Masa Thickener builds its flavor right in the Dutch oven: the beef cooks with the onion, then the spices and tomato paste get a minute in the hot pan before the tomatoes and broth go in.
The masa harina gives the finished chili a fuller body without needing a long reduction. Whisking it with cold water first keeps it smooth, and stirring it in near the end lets you control how thick the pot gets. The result is a hearty, tomato-rich chili with tender pinto beans and a gentle corn note in every spoonful.
Kitchen Note
Keep the simmer gentle and stir across the bottom of the pot now and then. A hard boil can make the tomato base catch before the chili has had time to thicken.
Save this Trail Ride Bean and Beef Chili for a thick, masa-finished pot with tender pinto beans and a savory tomato base.
Why Masa Harina Thickens Chili Without Making It Pasty
Plenty of chili gets its body from hours of cooking down, but this pot uses masa harina for a different kind of thickness. The fine corn flour absorbs liquid and adds a subtle corn aroma, so the chili feels rounded and substantial without losing its tomato flavor. It isn’t just a shortcut; masa gives the broth a character that a plain reduction doesn’t.
Adding dry masa straight to a pot of chili is an easy way to end up chasing little lumps around with a spoon. Mixing it with cold water first makes a smooth slurry that disperses evenly. It also gives you a chance to judge the texture after it has simmered: the chili thickens during the final minutes, so it doesn’t need to look as dense in the pot as it will in the bowl. Ordinary cornmeal isn’t a like-for-like swap here; its coarser texture can stay gritty instead of blending into the broth.
The tomato base and beans still matter. The masa supports their natural body rather than covering them up, leaving a chili that’s thick enough to cling to the beef and beans but still easy to ladle.
What the Beef, Tomatoes, and Masa Each Bring to the Pot
- Ground beef — The 85% lean blend gives the chili beefy flavor while keeping excess fat in check. Breaking it into small pieces as it cooks helps it spread through the beans instead of settling into a few large clumps.
- Yellow onion and garlic — Onion softens into the base, while garlic brings a sharper savory note. Dice the onion evenly so the pieces soften together; mince the garlic finely so it has time to cook without leaving large, raw-tasting bits.
- Chili powder, cumin, and oregano — These dried seasonings build the chili’s familiar earthy backbone. Fresh, aromatic spices make a noticeable difference; if the jars have been open for years and smell faint, the finished pot will too.
- Tomato paste and crushed tomatoes — Tomato paste adds concentrated depth after its brief cook with the spices, while crushed tomatoes provide the main body and acidity. A standard can of crushed tomatoes works well; there’s no need to seek out a specialty brand.
- Beef broth — Broth makes the tomato mixture simmerable and reinforces the beef flavor. Use a broth you like the taste of on its own, since its savory character carries through the whole pot.
- Pinto beans — Canned beans make this a practical stovetop chili and are already tender, so they only need warming in the simmer. Drain and rinse them before adding to remove the canning liquid and help keep the sauce’s flavor clean.
- Masa harina — This is the ingredient that gives the chili its distinctive finish. Choose masa harina rather than coarse cornmeal; its fine grind makes a smooth slurry and blends into the sauce more evenly.
Building the Chili in the Dutch Oven, Then Thickening at the End
Soften the Onion as the Beef Cooks
Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook for 7–9 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces as it cooks. The onion should be softened, and the beef should reach 160°F before you move on. If the meat is still in large clumps, break those up now so the finished chili has an even mix of beef and beans.
Give the Seasonings and Tomato Paste a Brief Sizzle
Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring so the paste and spices coat the beef and onion. The mixture will look thick and smell more fragrant as the spices warm. Keep it moving around the pot; garlic and tomato paste can scorch if left against the hot bottom.
Loosen the Browned Bits and Simmer Uncovered
Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and drained, rinsed pinto beans, then stir well and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally. The surface should bubble softly rather than boil hard, and the sauce will reduce as steam escapes. If it starts sticking, lower the heat and scrape the bottom when you stir.
Whisk the Masa Smooth Before It Goes In
In a small bowl, whisk the masa harina with cold water until no dry pockets remain. Stir the smooth mixture into the chili, then simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should become thicker and look cohesive rather than floury. If the slurry has settled while you were making it, give it another quick whisk before pouring it in.
Two Simple Ways to Change the Balance of This Chili
Make a vegetarian pot with vegetable broth
Leave out the ground beef and use vegetable broth in place of the beef broth. Cook the onion in the oil until softened, then continue with the garlic, spices, tomato paste, tomatoes, beans, and masa slurry. The pinto beans keep the chili hearty, while the broth swap removes the beef from the base.
Make the bowl more beef-forward
Use one can of pinto beans instead of two. The chili will have fewer beans in each spoonful and a more pronounced beef-and-tomato character, though it won’t be quite as bean-rich or substantial.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in a covered container for 3–4 days. The chili will thicken as it chills.
- Freezer: Freeze in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, until heated through to 165°F. Avoid high heat, which can scorch the masa-thickened chili on the bottom of the pot.
Questions That Come Up When Making This Bean and Beef Chili
Trail Ride Bean and Beef Chili with Masa Thickener
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and yellow onion. Cook for 7–9 minutes, breaking up the beef, until the onion is softened and the beef reaches 160°F.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and tomato paste.
- Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and pinto beans, stirring to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer uncovered for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk the masa harina and cold water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Stir the masa mixture into the chili.
- Simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.