Heat oil in an 8-quart pot. Add onion, garlic and ground beef. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is crumbled and is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl* combine remaining ingredients except beans and salt. Use an immersion blender to puree, or place in blender container in two batches. Mixture does not have to be smooth, just smooth enough so the chipotle chiles are not chunky and are distributed throughout mixture. Stir into cooked beef.

Add black beans to chili and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 25 – 30 minutes more. Add salt to taste. Top individual servings with shredded cheese, sliced green onion, sliced avocado, dollops of sour cream or Greek-style yogurt, or crunchy tortilla chips.