When you brown 80/20 beef, that 20% fat renders down and crisps up the meat. It’s called the Maillard reaction, which is just a fancy chef term for “brown and delicious.”
That browning creates little crispy bits that soak up all your chili spices—cumin, chili powder, garlic. Without enough fat, your chili tastes flat, like a joke without a punchline. Don’t be that chili.
And here’s the cool part: you don’t need to drain all the fat. Seriously. Leave a tablespoon or two in the pot after browning. It’s liquid gold for building flavor.
But What About 93/7 or 90/10?
Sure, you can use leaner blends, like 93/7. But ask yourself: are you trying to win a chili cook-off, or are you trying to hit a macro goal? If it’s the latter, go ahead—but your chili will be a bit more, well, polite.
Lean beef works great in tacos or spaghetti, where you want a cleaner taste. But chili is a rough-and-tumble stew. It wants a little fat to hug the beans and tomatoes. It’s like wearing boots instead of flip-flops to a hike—more appropriate.
Hearty Ground Beef Chili Recipe
Pro tip: If you must use lean beef, add a little oil or butter to the pan when browning. You’re just compensating for what you lost. It works, but it’s not the same.
