Chili

One of the most anticipated events of Fall at our house is the first chili of the season. My husband starts asking for it as soon as football season starts. I’m often asked for the recipe, but I’ve hesitated to post it on the blog. It may sound weird, but I believe chili is a very subjective art form. Everyone seems to have strong feelings about the way they like their chili – with beans or without; spicy or mild; chunky or soupy. It’s all a matter of personal preference.

I love my chili thick, spicy, and full of beans. Sometimes I make it with ground beef, sometimes ground turkey. And sometimes I like it with pork sausage crumbled in with the beef too. My husband adds cheddar cheese and Cheez-It crackers on top. I love it with a scoop of sour cream. So, consider this recipe as an outline you can follow; you can adapt it to suit what you like best. There are several “secret ingredients”, including chopped green chiles, and most importantly, beer. Using beer instead of water adds an amazing amount of flavor, and I highly recommend it. I can certainly tell you that this chili is hearty, flavorful, and hits the spot perfectly on a chilly night. It’s the hands down favorite cool weather meal in our house.

Chili

serves 4, but can be doubled

1 pound lean ground beef

1 can chopped green chiles

1 small onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

48 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can tomato paste

1 can, 14 ounces kidney beans, undrained

12 ounces beer, preferably dark, but any will do

3 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, if you like it with a kick

salt and pepper to taste (I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon of each)

Brown ground beef, green chiles, and onion, in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Drain ground beef and set aside.

In a large stock pot set over medium heat add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, beer, and spices. Bring to a boil. Add beef mixture. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, but preferably 1-2 hours. If the liquid reduces to much, add water, 1/4 cup at a time to get it to the consistency you prefer. Don’t add too much water or the flavor will become diluted.

Serve hot with your favorite toppings and condiments.

an Our Family Eats original

Other posts you may like:

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Black Bean Oven Quesadillas