- If the weather is starting to cool down where you live,
I have the perfect recipe for you today, and that's chili.
You can't go wrong with a classic beef chili
that's the perfect blend of meaty richness,
simmered with hearty vegetables and warming spices.
It's a one-pot wonder that's a cinch to put together.
It uses up some of those pantry staples
that I'm sure you've stocked up on,
and it's perfect for meal prep.
So, even if you're just one or two people,
don't be afraid to make this entire batch
because it freezes beautifully.
Now I've made a lot of chili in my time,
and this is the best chili recipe, if I do say so myself,
so let me show you how to make it.
The amount of chili we're making today
serves about six people, so you'll need to grab a large pot,
like this Le Creuset round Dutch oven,
or a large stainless steel pot.
The first ingredient we're gonna slice up
is four pieces of bacon.
And I'm a firm believer
that bacon makes for the best chili recipe
as the veggies will saute in the bacon grease
and get a definite flavor boost.
So slice up the bacon and add it to your pot,
and I just separate the stacked pieces with my fingers
as I drop them in.
Heat the pot on medium heat
and cook the bacon until it's crispy.
Now, because that will take a few minutes, I'll multitask
during this step and start cutting up the veggies,
but I will keep an eye on the bacon
and stir it several times.
So, first up is one green bell pepper.
You could use any color bell pepper,
though green is always the most economical.
I chatted about why this is the case
on my video for stuffed bell peppers,
so, if you're interested,
make sure to go back and watch that video.
But, after you remove the seeds and membrane
from the bell pepper, just slice and dice it.
Next, you'll need to dice one yellow onion.
Some people add onion powder to chili,
but I think it's absolutely essential to have fresh onion.
You just can't match the depth of flavor
and the texture that it provides.
And then I'll get three garlic cloves ready to mince.
If you're a garlic lover,
you can always toss in an extra clove.
It's up to you.
Back on the stove the bacon is cooking
and, after a couple more minutes, it will look nice
and crispy like this, which is perfect.
And the good news is that you don't need
to drain any bacon grease
because you added the perfect number of bacon slices
to produce just the right amount of bacon grease
to saute the veggies.
So add the diced bell pepper and onion to the pot
and cook for about four to five minutes,
or until they've started to soften.
As moisture is released from the veggies,
you'll also be able to scrape up
all those delicious brown bacon bits
from the bottom of the pan, which is a flavor goldmine.
Once the veggies have cooked,
mince those three garlic cloves,
and stir for another 30 seconds.
For this classic beef chili,
you'll need 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef.
You can use 80% or 90% lean ground beef,
but, if you opt for a higher fat option,
you'll have to drain some of the grease off.
Use a spatula to break up the ground beef while it cooks,
and this should take about five to seven minutes
for it to get completely browned.
(pleasant music)
Next, add two tablespoons of tomato paste,
which will help to thicken up the chili, and add the spices,
which includes two tablespoons of chili powder,
one tablespoon of cumin, two teaspoons of paprika,
one teaspoon of dried oregano, and one teaspoon of salt.
Stir the tomato paste and spices into the meat,
and toast the spices for a minute or so,
which will make them deliciously fragrant,
and your kitchen will smell amazing.
All right, so let's talk tomatoes.
You'll need 28 ounces of tomatoes,
and you can use plain diced tomatoes,
but I recommend fire roasted tomatoes
because they add that deep smoky flavor
with all those little charred bits.
So add the tomatoes to the pot, and then drain
and rinse a 15-ounce can of red kidney beans
and a 15-ounce can of black beans, but feel free
to swap in different beans like pinto beans, as well.
Add those to the pot, along with two cups of beef broth
and one bay leaf, and the bay leaf is an easy way
to just add one more layer of flavor to the chili.
Give that all a stir, increase the heat to high
until the chili comes to a boil, then reduce the heat
to medium low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
All those smoky, spicy rich flavors will melt together
into one big pot of deliciousness.
(pleasant music)
Before serving, don't forget to find your bay leaf
and remove that, and then ladle the chili into bowls.
But can we just take a second
to admire this beautifully thick and chunky texture?
And you'll have to take my word for it, but the smell,
oh my gosh, the smell is so good
it will definitely get your stomach growling.
You can serve the chili up plain.
There's certainly enough flavor and it's hearty enough
on its own, but, if you want to be a little extra,
you can add a variety of toppings, like grated cheese,
sour cream, avocados, red onion and cilantro or parsley.
But, before I dig into my bowl,
I wanted to remind you that you can meal prep leftovers.
I have a separate video
on my favorite meal prep storage containers,
which includes these glass slot containers.
But now there's also super cubes, which are great
for freezing one-cup or two-cup portions.
I always get a lot of questions
about what I do with leftovers from my videos,
and the answer is that I eat them.
Nothing goes to waste.
I just freeze them and enjoy over several weeks.
And cooking one large batch is always easier
than trying to cook a small, individual portion.
All right, I can finally dig into my bowl of chili,
but I can't wait to see you guys make this recipe.
Give the video a thumbs up if you do plan to make it.
Share it with your family and friends,
and hit that subscribe button
because I've got several new recipes lined up for fall,
and you don't want to miss 'em.
(pleasant music)