Homemade Chili
I’ve always wanted to go to a chili cook off. It’d be a blast to get to try all of the different versions and variations on the theme. There are probably as many different recipes for chili as there are people in the world and over the years I’ve tried dozens of different ones.
This Homemade Chili Recipe is my current favorite and go-to for any occasion. It has the perfect balance of classic flavors – all without being overly spicy or hot. And best of all, it’s super easy and makes enough for plenty of leftovers. So let’s get to it.
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Here’s our lineup of ingredients – nothing fancy here.
In a large Dutch oven, sauté the diced onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil until soft – about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
The next step is to brown the hamburger. Speaking of hamburger, you might be wondering what kind of hamburger is best for chili? While any hamburger will work, my butcher makes me his special hamburger for chili. It’s a mixture of all the scraps from trimming the steaks and roasts with a fairly high fat content – usually between 20 to 25%. He runs it through the grinder three times with the large die setting. Pro Tip – Make friends with your butcher and ask him what he would use.
The hamburger is cooked through and it’s time for a decision. To drain or not to drain? Fat equals flavor, so I don’t drain, but it’s your call.
Add the previously cooked onions and the tomatoes.
Then add the beans.
Throw in the rest of the ingredients and give it a stir. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for at least two hours.
This easy homemade chili has the perfect blend of classic flavors. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a piece of cornbread. Enjoy!
Homemade Chili
Homemade Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper diced
- 1 Anaheim pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 14 oz cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 14 oz can kidney beans
- 1 14 oz can white beans
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, sauté onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Remove onions and peppers, then brown ground beef until cooked through.
- Add onion mixture to beef, then add tomatoes and beans.
- Add tomato paste, chicken broth and spices. Stir to combine.
- Simmer uncovered for at least 2 hours.
This chili recipe looks really good. I have never heard of adding cocoa to chili. Interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing.