American · main

Classic Beef Chili with Skillet Cornbread

Classic Beef Chili with Skillet Cornbread reads umami 7.8, richness 5.5 and sweetness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 1 hr 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.8 · Richness 5.5 · Sweetness 4.9 · Allium 4.0 · Salinity 4.0 · Sourness 2.8 · Earthy 2.5 · Heat 2.1 · Fruity 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Funk & Ferment 1.6 · Bitterness 1.1 · Herbaceous 1.1 · Nutty 1.1

What's in it (16)

• boneless beef chuck — 907 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• chili powder — 44 g
• cumin — 15 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• kidney beans — 851 g
• beef broth — 237 g
• salt — 7 g
• cornmeal — 237 g
• all-purpose flour — 121 g
• baking powder — 15 g
• granulated sugar — 67 g
• buttermilk — 237 g
• egg — 100 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 15 min (1 hr 9 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 201.9 kcal, 12.3 g protein, 6.8 g fat, 26.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a 10-inch cast iron skillet inside so it heats along with the oven, about 15 minutes.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, breaking the beef into crumbles with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and the onion has softened, 7-8 minutes. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
3. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 1 minute, to bloom the spices so they taste rounded rather than raw.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, beef broth, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes.
5. While the chili's first simmer runs, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined — a few lumps are fine; overmixing makes the cornbread tough.
6. Uncover the chili and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to a hearty, scoopable consistency, 15 more minutes.
7. At the same time, carefully pull the hot skillet from the oven, add a pat of butter and swirl to coat the bottom and sides, then pour in the cornbread batter. Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-22 minutes.
8. Taste the chili and season with more salt if needed.
9. Let the cornbread cool in the skillet 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve each with a warm wedge of cornbread alongside.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Italian Sausage and White Bean Stew — Italian-American
• Bosanski Lonac (The Bosnian Pot) — Bosnian
• Shepherd's Pie with Cheddar Mashed Potato Top — American
• Beef Katsu Curry — Japanese
• Texas Hash — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what umami, richness, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.