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Dad’s Chili

Growing up as a kid, my father was responsible for making the chili. Whenever he made a big batch in the largest stock pot we owned, our family would eat only chili every night for almost a week, or until there was none left. This chili is so good--I will never get tired of it.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 Tbsp butter ((1/2 stick))
  • 4 large white onions, (medium dice)
  • 3 red bell peppers, (medium dice)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 4 28oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 6 lbs ground beef, (85% lean)
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 3oz jar of chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
  • 4 15oz cans of red kidney beans
  • Salt & freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Cook onions in vegetable oil and butter on medium-low heat for 25 minutes, or until soft & translucent.
  • Add the red bell peppers, and garlic cloves and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Season onions, peppers, and garlic with salt & freshly-ground black pepper.
  • Blend the whole peeled tomatoes together with the tomato juice or mash the tomatoes up with your hands.
  • Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the vegetables and cook on medium heat while you prepare the beef, stirring frequently.
  • Salt the ground beef.
  • Briefly brown the ground beef in vegetable oil on high heat in a large saute pan, working in batches.
  • *Note: do not cook the beef through at this stage--the meat should be lightly browned in parts, but undercooked overall.
  • When beef is browned, turn off the heat and pour in the 2 cups of whole milk and bring to a quiet simmer.
  • Cook beef in milk until liquid has been absorbed by the beef.
  • Add beef to the tomato sauce and vegetable mix.
  • Add the jar of chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and white granulated sugar.
  • Allow to cook for an additional 2 hours at a very gentle simmer, stirring frequently to ensure nothing gets stuck to the bottom of the pot.
  • Avoiding boiling the ground beef during this cooking stage.
  • Add the cans of kidney beans and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Taste and season one last time with salt & freshly-ground black pepper.
  • Serve over cooked white rice.
  • Garnish hot chili with shredded cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, diced red onions, sliced scallions, and your favorite hot sauce.

Notes

Make a large batch and freeze it in freezer-safe plastic pint or quart containers. It can defrost in your fridge overnight, and tastes amazing reheated when you need a quick and delicious meal.