British Guy Tries Classic American Chili and Cornbread

by Barry Lewis

Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
240 mins
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients Method

Ingredients

American Chili (Serves 4–6)

750g stewing steak, diced small
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml beef stock
400g tin kidney beans, drained
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
Salt and black pepper
1–2 squares dark chocolate (optional)
Splash of coffee or beer (optional)
100g tinned sweetcorn (optional)
1 tsp cornmeal to thicken (optional)

Classic Cornbread (Makes 8 slices)

170g fine cornmeal (or fine polenta)
125g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
50g sugar
240ml buttermilk (or 230ml milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)
2 medium eggs
60g melted butter (plus extra for greasing)
100g sweetcorn kernels (optional)
Drizzle of honey on top (optional)

Unit conversion table Print recipe

British Guy Tries Chili and Cornbread for the First Time

Introduction

When a British guy tries chili and cornbread for the first time, he’s expecting confusion. That’s exactly where I started with this one. You lot have been telling me for ages to give it a go — and I’ve finally caved. As someone raised on jacket potatoes and roast dinners, the idea of sponge-cake-looking bread next to spicy stew sounded like food madness. But I gave it a fair shot — and it turned out to be surprisingly brilliant.

What is Chili and Cornbread? (British Confusion Incoming)

First off, chili in the US isn’t quite the same as our British “chilli con carne.” It’s bolder, richer, slower-cooked, and often beefier — and apparently, it’s spelled “chili” with one L. Cornbread, meanwhile, looks like a traybake but tastes like something between a muffin and a scone. And putting them together? I honestly didn’t know what to expect.

Method: Chili (From a British Guy Trying It for the First Time)

  1. Brown the beef:
    I started by searing stewing steak in batches until properly browned. None of that lean mince — this was all about those hearty, chunky pieces.

  2. Build the base:
    Next up, softened onion, garlic and red pepper in the same pan. All the good stuff to build the foundation.

  3. Toast the spices:
    In went cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, and cinnamon — plus tomato purée for depth. Gave it all a minute to bloom properly.

  4. Simmer low and slow:
    Added chopped tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of sugar. Some optional extras — dark chocolate and a splash of coffee — gave it richness without turning it weird. Simmered for 90 minutes.

  5. Finishing touches:
    Stirred in kidney beans and a bit of sweetcorn for the last 15 minutes. Thickened it slightly with cornmeal and adjusted seasoning.

Method: Cornbread (Made From Scratch, Very Confused)

  1. Preheat and prep:
    Oven on, tin greased. Pretty standard.

  2. Mix the dry stuff:
    Cornmeal, flour, raising agents, salt, and sugar in one bowl.

  3. Mix the wet stuff:
    Buttermilk, eggs, melted butter — whisked together in another bowl.

  4. Combine and bake:
    Poured the wet into the dry, gave it a gentle mix, then into the tin. Baked for 20–25 mins until golden and firm.

  5. Serve:
    Cooled slightly, then served up alongside the chili. Turns out cornbread is quite the flavour sponge — and that’s a good thing.

So What Did This British Guy Think?

As someone who never grew up with this combo, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. But it works. The sweet crumb of the cornbread soaking up the spicy, savoury chili is proper comfort food — not just a novelty.

If you’ve never had chili with cornbread, I’d genuinely recommend giving it a go. Especially if, like me, you’re the kind of British guy who tries chili and cornbread with some scepticism.

Watch the Full Taste Test

Watch the full video above or here to see how it turned out (and my confused face figuring out what cornbread actually is):

More From This Series

If you’ve got any other American dishes I should try, drop me a comment or message. Always up for learning something new — even if it starts off a bit baffling.

Related recipes