Best Chili Recipe

 

 

I am back today with another delicious recipe that I think you are going to love. I decided to take a few days off to recup after all the stress of the holidays etc. and am now feeling fighting fit and raring to go!  I think we all need a breather every now and then, don't you?  

Like you I am really looking foward to more deliciousness in 2023. Thanks so much for bearing with me! 

 

 

Today I am sharing the "Best Chili Recipe."  I am always a little taken aback when someone has the audacity to brand something as the best!  

I found the original recipe for this on a page called Fit Foodie Finds.  I was having my family over for Sunday supper and my brother in law had asked would I make chili!

I know it is a bit cheeky to try out new recipes on family, but this looked very good, and how could I resist trying something that labeled itself the "Best!"

 

Of course, I could not leave well enough alone and added a few bits and bobs into the mix, and also changed the cook time, but overall, I pretty much followed the recipe to the "T."

It was filling, flavorful, and pretty healthy overall!  I added some green pepper to it, used more onion, more tomatoes and only one type of bean. Other than that, I used the recipe pretty much as written.

 

I did change up the cooking method a little bit as well. I toasted the spices for extra flavor. I have always found that toasting your spices before using them in a stew or soup adds something extra special to the taste.

I also thought that the original fifteen minutes cook time was not near enough to really develop the flavors the way I wanted them to be and so I increased it exponentially, with excellent results!  This chili was fabulous!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST CHILI RECIPE

For the most part it is store cupboard ingredients. No fuss, no muss. The perfect winter comfort food supper. 

• 1 TBS flavorless oil (I use light olive oil)
• 1 lb. (450g) lean ground beef/steak
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 1 small green pepper, trimmed, deseeded and diced
• 1 (15 oz/420g) tins of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15 oz/420g) tins of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 oz/420g) tin of tomato sauce/passata
• 3 TBS tomato paste
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 3 TBS chili powder (North American, not UK type)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 cup (240ml) beef stock

 

My ground beef was really lean. It's an organic locally raised beef that I buy frozen at my local farmer's market.  Because it was so lean, I browned it in a bit of oil. There is only about 5% fat in it. If your beef is not quite as lean, you may want to cut back on the oil used or leave it out altogether.

I added green pepper for a bit of color and some flavor. We like peppers in our chili. If my father had not been eating it, I might have been tempted to add jalapeno peppers, but we like to keep things a bit milder for him. I also pretty much doubled the amount of onion because we like onions.

 

In North America I used a can of tomato sauce, which is not the same thing as tomato sauce in the UK. Tomato sauce in the UK is generally thought to mean tomato ketchup.  Their "tomato sauce" is tomato passatta, which is crushed and seived tomatoes, or basically the same thing as North American tomato sauce.

I used two tins of tomatoes rather than the single tin in the original recipe because we really like tomatoes and, to be honest, it gave the chili the perfect consistency.

 

I also used two cans of kidney beans instead of one can of kidney and one can of pinto beans. Basically I am trying to use what I already have in my larder than run out and buy special ingredients for things.

That is my goal for 2023, to make good use of what I already have.  By all means use one can of pinto beans if you have them!  I think even a can of black beans would be nice.

 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHILI RECIPE

It's not rocket science.  Chili has to be one of the easiest things to make!  And, might I add, so good at this time of year when the temperatures are chilly, and the air is damp.

Add the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to a small dry skillet. Toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large saucepan. Add the onions and green pepper. Crumble in the beef. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.

 

Stir in the toasted spices, oregano and salt and pepper, combining all well. Stir in the drained beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and maple syrup, combining well.

Add the beef stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot, spooned into bowls with your favorite accompaniments. We like rice, cheese and cornbread!

The recipe made enough to feel all four of us generously plus I had enough to freeze for another day.  What you are seeing here is actually the leftovers from yesterday and I have to say it tasted even better the next day!  

But then again things like stews, soups and chilis often taste better after "ripening" overnight.

My brother-in-law had two helpings. I served it with brown rice, grated Tex Mex cheese and some homemade cornbread.  I used my ex-mother-in-law's Corncake recipe.  Its delicious! 

I do have more than a few chili recipes posted to the blog. If beef is not your thing, you might enjoy this Turkey Chili recipe which is made with ground turkey.

Another favorite is White Chicken Chili. In fact, that is my favorite chili recipe of all.  Rich and creamy.

Don't worry about leftovers. You will find that things like chili freeze very well. Just divide into airtight freezer containers and freeze. You can keep it for up to six months or so in the freezer. 

Leftovers are also very nice when served over top of jacket potatoes, or mixed into cooked macaroni and cheese for a tasty midweek supper of Easy Chili Mac and Cheese.  Trust me when I say it will all get used up! 

Yield: 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Best Chili Recipe

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

This is actually a really delicious bowl full of red that deserves to be called the best!

Ingredients

• 1 TBS flavorless oil (I use light olive oil)
• 1 lb. (450g) lean ground beef/steak
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 1 small green pepper, trimmed, deseeded and diced
• 1 (15 oz/420g) tins of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15 oz/420g) tins of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 oz/420g) tin of tomato sauce/passata
• 3 TBS tomato paste
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 3 TBS chili powder (North American, not UK type)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 cup (240ml) beef stock

Instructions

1. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to a small dry skillet. Toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
2. Add the olive oil to a large saucepan. Add the onions and green pepper. Crumble in the beef. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.
3. Stir in the toasted spices, oregano and salt and pepper, combining all well.
4. Stir in the drained beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and maple syrup, combining well.
5. Add the beef stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve hot, spooned into bowls with your favorite accompaniments. We like rice, cheese and cornbread!

Did you make this recipe?

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