Hearty, stick to your ribs style chili recipe that’s perfect alone, spooned over hot dogs, or as a meaty filling for nachos.
At the beginning of last summer, Son #1 made a pretty extensive list of all of all the foods that he wanted to learn how to cook, with the goal of eventually doing so without any help from me. His cooking goals are as noble as his list is ambitious; Son #1’s ultimate goal is to, and I quote, “make dinner for the family at least once a week so that you (meaning me–his mama) can have a night off.”
I just love that kid. He’s my favorite eldest son.
Son #1 even had the wherewithal to organize his list to start with the easiest dishes, working up to the more complex. The first meal that he wanted to check off of The List was a chili rcipe, because “How can you not love chili?” Those of you with teenage daughters might want to give me a call in a decade or so, because this kid is smart and he can cook.
I figure that if I do this right, with four sons, I should eventually only have to cook dinner about three nights nights per week. I could be semi-retired in just a few years!
For the past few months, Son #1 has been refining his chili recipe.
We like a hearty, stick to your ribs kind of chili, so he started out with a Pioneer Woman recipe, and probably hasn’t made it the same way since.
In our family, we view chili as like a barometer to the soul. A good chili recipe should evolve over time to suit changing tastes and moods.
In the interest of giving further credit where credit is due, I should probably mention that not only did Son #1 develop this recipe, but he also styled and took all of the photos for the post. Like start to finish. I kept my hands and my opinions out of the whole endeavor. I about bit my tongue clean off to keep myself from offering any suggestions. But I behaved! There was no creative direction from me whatsoever.
Hey! Wait just a dang minute. My boys seem to be making a habit of hip-checking me out of the kitchen, away from my camera. They want to style food photos lately. I may have to ground them to regain creative control of this site.
But so long as I’m benefiting from the process, I guess I can let it slide every now and then. These boys are going to make a woman of leisure out of me yet! They may need to shackle me outside to keep me from butting in and offering too much assistance. We will cross that bridge if and when we come to it.
Until then, enjoy the current version of Son #1’s Soon-to-be-Famous Chili recipe.
A chili is so hearty that it can practically be eaten with a fork! This chili recipe is even tastier the next day, as an awesome nacho filling, or on hot dogs or brats.
♥♥♥
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 8 servings
Hearty, stick to your ribs style chili that’s perfect alone, spooned over hot dogs, or as a meaty filling for nachos.
20 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
50 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef chuck (85% lean, 15 % fat)
- 1 ½ C. yellow onion, peeled and diced (1 large)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 Tbs. dried oregano
- 1-2 tsp. Chipotle chili powder (to taste)
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning (blend of salt, pepper, garlic, spices)
- ¾ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 (28 oz.) can Rotel Original tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with green chilies)
- 2 ½ C. cooked beans (A blend of red kidney beans and white or pinto beans is nice. Drain them if canned.)
- 2 C. low sodium beef broth, at room temperature (or more for soup)
- ¾ C. masa, finely ground (corn flour)
- Diced onions
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef with the onion in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat, until cooked through. Drain the beef, if necessary. Stir the garlic and seasonings into the beef, cooking for another 5 minutes, until fragrant.
- Pour the tomatoes and beans into the pot, folding them into the beef mixture. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for another 5 minutes. While the mixture is simmering, stir the masa into the beef broth with a fork until smooth. Stir the broth blend into the pot, and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.
- Chili may be served immediately, but it’s even more flavorful when served the next day. Simply let the chili cool, refrigerate it over night, and reheat it to serve.
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