A member recently asked what my favorite chili recipe in the archives happened to be and while scrolling through the list, I was shocked that I’d never included the chili recipe that we make more than any other. This classic beef & bean chili is the quintessential bowl of chili, the one you conjure up in your mind when you hear the word, the one you imagine piled high with shredded cheese and a dollop of greek yogurt (or is that just me?) with a plate of cornbread on the side. So, to answer your question, THIS is my favorite chili and now you all can make it too!
Ingredients:
Makes about 8 servings
1-2 pounds ground beef
(depends on how meaty you’d like it :)
1 large red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 14 ounce can or jar of crushed tomatoes
about 32 ounces chicken broth
Directions:
Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and put the ground beef in the pot. Let it brown, taking time to break up the clumps of meat as they cook. You can really go to town with a wooden spoon, breaking the meat into little bits. While it’s browning, I like to chop the onion and garlic and drain the beans so it’s all ready to go. Before adding any other ingredients, I find it SO useful to drain any excess fat that’s cooked off the beef while its browning. Otherwise, there ends up being a thick layer of fat that sits on top of the chili that can ruin a bowl of chili faster than you can say howdy. I just use a ladle and push the meat back while tipping the pot just slightly and scoop up any fat that pools on the edge of the pot. Now, you can add your seasonings and onion and garlic! Let the veggies soften slightly and cook a bit in the pan before adding the drained beans, crushed tomatoes and just enough broth to cover the whole thing by an inch or so. Put on the lid and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. Of course, you can make this in an instant pot or slow cooker, but do make sure you brown the beef first! Taste the chili for seasoning and adjust before ladling up a bit bowl topped with your favorite toppings!
