Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 lean)
  • 1 lb beef chuck, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée (unsweetened)
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups beef bone broth
  • 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cubed beef chuck. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is deeply browned and mahogany-colored. Remove meat with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Add diced onion and carrots to the pot, sautéing until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic, jalapeno, and cubed butternut squash. Cook for 5 minutes until the squash edges begin to soften.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and the spice mix (chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper), tossing for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
  5. Return the browned meat to the pot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, beef bone broth, and pumpkin purée.
  6. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
  7. In the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the kidney beans. Continue simmering until the liquid has reduced to a thick consistency and the beef chuck is fork-tender.
  8. Remove from heat and let the pot sit for 10 minutes before serving.