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When the weather is cool, it is not hard for me to decide to make a nice big pot of beef chili. What is hard is trying to decide which recipe to use; there are just so many to choose from. This chili has been a family favorite for over twenty years and will continue to be enjoyed for many more.
What really gives this chili a depth of flavor is adding the spices to the sautéed vegetables before browning the meat. This allows the spices to “bloom”, which is the key to unlocking their full flavor.
This chili calls for a simple topping of freshly grated cheddar cheese, but you can certainly add a topping that suits your taste, such as sour cream or chopped scallions. Sweet Cornbread on the side is a must to clean up every bit of goodness in the bowl. Happy cooking!
Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, March /April 2003
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Simple American Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef, 85% lean
- 2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28 ounce) can tomato purée
- 1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
Toppings
- Freshly grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the beef; cook, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, tomato puree, and ½ teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove cover, then stir in beans, and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in ½ cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve grated cheddar cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
