Kill City Chili

For cold-weather comfort, nothing beats this curry-spiced beef and bean stew.

Serves
6–8
Time
1 hour

PHOTO: MURRAY HALL • FOOD STYLING: THU BUSER

Updated on February 5, 2025

We loved everything about Sassy—the teen magazine whose frank storytelling put it in a class of its own in the 1980s and ’90s—but especially its “Eat This” column. It featured recipes ranging from Sonic Youth’s tuna tacos to comic strip character Weasel’s beef chili. The latter alluded, with Sassy charm, to legumes’ “magical” properties: “Sometimes things that test a relationship make it stronger.” This meaty, curry-spiced chili appeared in “Eat This” in the February 1992 issue as a recipe courtesy of Weasel, a character from the comic strip “Guy Stuff” by Jim Ryan. Cook up a pot when you need something warm and satisfying to get you through winter, or serve it with all the fixings—chopped cilantro and onion, grated Monterey Jack cheese, and sour cream—for the Super Bowl.

Featured in the SAVEUR 100 in the January/February 2014 issue.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Enameled Cast Iron 4½-Quart Braiser here.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. olive oil
2½ lb. ground beef
¼ cup dark chili powder
2 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. curry powder
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped, divided
Two 16-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, for serving
Sour cream, for serving

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Instructions

Step 1

To a large pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5–7 minutes. Add the chili powder, curry powder, garlic, bell pepper, and three quarters of the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 8–10 minutes.

Step 2

Add the beans and tomatoes and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the cilantro. Ladle the chili into bowls, top with the cheese, sour cream, more cilantro, and remaining onion, and serve.

To a large pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5–7 minutes. Add the chili powder, curry powder, garlic, bell pepper, and three quarters of the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 8–10 minutes.
Add the beans and tomatoes and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro. Ladle the chili into bowls, top with the cheese, sour cream, more cilantro, and remaining onion, and serve.