This recipe is for a standard, crowd-pleasing beef chili that uses a custom blend of spices and herbs instead of a pre-made mix. It is a flexible recipe, so feel free to adjust the liquid, heat, and other ingredients to your taste.
Special Equipment:
Large Dutch Oven
Ingredients:
Spice Mix
Combine all these spices in a small bowl and mix.
- Chili Powder: 2 tablespoons
- Ground Cumin: 2 teaspoons
- Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon
- Onion Powder: 1 teaspoon
- Paprika: 1/2 teaspoon
- Oregano: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Optional Heat: Up to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili flake.
Main Ingredients
- Ground Beef: 2 lbs (93% lean was used to cut down on grease)
- Onions: 1 whole white onion, chopped
- Tomato Sauce: 1 can
- Roasted Diced Tomatoes: 1 can (Crushed or seasoned tomatoes are also options)
- Water (or low sodium V8 Juice for a more “tomato-ey” flavor and stew consistency): 1 cup of water is the standard. Use a second cup if beans are used, see below
- Optional Beans: 2 cans of red beans (or kidney beans/other vegetation). If adding a substantial amount of vegetation, you may need to increase the liquid to 2 cups.
Optional Garnish and Accompaniments
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped green onions
- Shredded Mexican blend or sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Garlic bread
Directions:
- Brown the Beef
Bring a large Dutch oven or pot up to a medium heat. (The thick, heavy Dutch oven is preferred for long simmering without hot spots) .
Add the ground beef. The fat from the meat will provide the oil for sautéing.
Break up and cook the beef for about three to five minutes.
Drain off any remaining grease/fat.
- Sauté the Onions
Turn the burner to medium-high to recover any lost heat.
Add the chopped white onions to the beef.
Stir the onions until they start to become translucent.
- Add Wet and Dry Ingredients
Toss in the prepared spice mix.
Add the can of roasted diced tomatoes.
Stir in the liquid (1 cup of water or V8 juice, or 2 cups if using beans).
Add the can of tomato sauce.
If using, stir in the red beans.
- Simmer and Finish
Bring the chili up to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer. A heat diffuser can be used to achieve a lower, more accurate simmering temperature.
Simmer for at least an hour (or up to three hours). Be sure to stir periodically and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
After simmering, taste and make a final adjustment for salt or spice. The tomatoes should begin to break down, and the flavors will have melded together.
Turn off the heat and serve.
Pro-Tip: Chili, like most soups and stews, tastes even better the next day. A cooling cycle in the refrigerator followed by reheating “melds all the flavors together and just does wonders”.
