I love making chili. It is one of the simplest and most versatile meals to have at my disposal. You can make it on the stove top, on a grill, heck, I bet you could make it in your fireplace (challenge accepted!). The funny thing is, I don’t know if I have ever made the same chili twice. I have my basic plan, but then I just wing it.
I guess that’s my way of saying this will not be a standard, measured out recipe
What to grab from the pantry:
- Garlic 2-4 cloves,diced.
- Onion, I prefer diced.
- Meat 1-2 pounds (ground beef, ground turkey or meatloaf mix)
- Bonus points if you grind your own
- Beans, 2-3 cans: kidney, black or chickpeas. Anything you want really. My chili isn’t mine if it doesn’t have chick peas. Make sure you rinse them well.
- Corn, 1 can: it adds a bit of sweetness.
- Bell peppers, 1-2 I will do any color.
- Tomato Paste, 1 can.
- Better than Bullion beef stock – 1-2 tablespoons, directly in, no water.
- Diced Tomatoes (1) 28 ounce can , but I have also used whole and just busted them up with my hands. Either way, dump that puppy in.
- Beer – I use a half to two thirds of a can/bottle. My first choice is a wheat beer, it seems to lend a certain smoothness. But if you don’t have that on hand, any decent lager or ale will do just fine. Just remember, it adds to the overall character. Choose wisely.
- Seasoning
- Chili powder quite a bit, but to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste (or at least some oregano)
- I like a bit of Cumin.
- A bit (BIT) of chipotle chili powder. Only takes a dash.
How to put it together:
- I put some olive oil in my enameled dutch oven, then sweat out the garlic and onion. Once they are ready, I dump the meat in and brown. I add all of my seasonings here to start. I like getting the seasoning into the meat right off.
- Once the meat is browned I put in the beer and let it cook down. Doesn’t take long.
- Add the paste and bullion and let it thicken up. You can let it brown up a bit if you want.
- Add the diced tomatoes and juice.
- Add the peppers if you are using them.
- Open and rinse any beans you are putting in. Put them in now. Corn, too (drained) if you are using it.
- Check your seasoning. Add anything you want for flavor. Don’t be afraid of salt. Just do it to taste. Remember, you can put more in, but you cannot take it out.
- Simmer. Welcome to choose your own adventure. You now have options, none of them wrong.
- Stove top: I like to go at least an hour, but I am really looking for consistency. We don’t want chili soup.
- Smoke it. This is my preferred method. I set it on my Pit Barrel Cooker and let it go uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Then I wrap it tightly with foil (lid won’t fit under the bars) and let it go an hour or so longer, if I want. Smoked chili is the bomb. Unless it is too smoked. Don’t go further than 40 mins.
- Oven. Not much different than the stove top, really, just a more all encompassing heat.
- The fireplace. OK, honestly, I’ve not tried this one but I don’t see why it won’t work. Probably won’t use my enabled dutch oven, but no reason it won’t work out fine. Tell you what, I’ll report back.
- Serve it with a nice thick slice of home made rustic bread and you are good. It goes great over rice, pasta, or a nice baked potato, too.
- If you have it, topping it with sour cream or shredded cheddar is always good.
What to do with the leftovers:
If you made enough, you are going to have chili for a as long as you can stomach. Have it for lunch the next day. Or what about Juevos Rancheros for breakfast? Chili over scrambled eggs is the bomb. Either way, it will last a couple days in the fridge.
But what happens when you just cannot chili another day?
You can store it any number of ways. Dump it in a gallon zip loc bag and you can freeze it no problem. If you have enough, can it. You will need a pressure canner, but if you don’t want to worry about the power going out and your freezer thawing, you are good to go. You can even dehydrate leftover chili. No, the texture will not be the same upon reheating, but it will make a great backpacking meal. Or back up food in a pinch when all you can do is boil water. Just sayin’.
Closing Time:
Chili is my go to one pot meal when the show must go on. I always have the ingredients on hand since every single one pulls duty in several different dishes. I never have to worry about being able to just grab and go.
But if I had to choose what makes this one of my favorites? It’s simple. I can always improvise with new and different flavors. Even changing the beer I pour in makes it a new trip. I always have fun seeing where the next batch goes.
Do the same. Go play with your food.
Prepared To Cook 