Chili

It took years and years of trying different chili recipes and adapting them to our tastes until I found the perfect combination for our family. So, while this recipe is perfect in our eyes (and tastes) maybe it will just be the stepping stone for your new recipe. If chili is done right it will have depth to its flavor--it will taste one way when you take a bite, another when you start to chew, and another level of flavor after you swallow. I'll show you some tricks you can use in your own recipe to get those layers of flavor.

For my family's perfect chili you will need:

4-5 cans Bush's Best Chili Beans, mild (beans are my fav part of chili)
1 can chopped tomatoes with green chilies
Mexene chili powder
1 large onion
1 large green pepper
Tabasco sauce (to taste)
1 cup ketchup
1 pound ground beef
1 bottle beer (I like Bud--not too strong, not too mild)



Brown your ground beef with the onion and 2T chili powder. I add a tablespoon or two of oil, olive is fine. High quality chili powder makes all the difference in the world. After years of trying the different brands of powders I think Mexene is my favorite. You couldn't pay me to put McCormick chili powder in chili.



This is your first layer of flavor and believe me, it makes a difference!

When the meat is mostly brown add your green pepper and a couple of shakes of Tabasco. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Second layer of flavor.



While it is cooking, open up all your cans. I love my One-Touch!



After the meat and pepper is cooked through, add the rest of your ingredients (except the beer) and 1/4 cup of chili powder.



Stir it up and let it cook for about 30 minutes or so. Then add your beer. I use Bud because, well, it's the King of Beers, but also because it has the yeasty flavor without the darkness of a stout.



You only need about half to 3/4 of the bottle. Up to you what you do with the rest of the ice cold beer. :)



Chili is better the longer you cook it, so bring this recipe to a boil and then simmer for at least 4 hours, 6 is better. If you are in no hurry, cook it for a few hours, remove from heat and let it cool a bit, then stash it in the fridge until the next day. Chili is ALWAYS better the next day. This recipe is also fabulous in the crock pot. Brown the meat, onion, and chili powder and add the mix with the rest of the ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on low overnight and then set to the warm setting in the morning. It's ready when you are!



When you take a bite of this chili you taste the warmth, the tomato, the chili powder, then you chew and taste the beer, the yummy beans, and the beef. The aftertaste is a tangy tomato flavor with a kick of the Tabasco.



Enjoy!

This recipe was featured on blog.recipelion.com!