A few weekends ago, I posted some snaps of the outcome of my "award winning" chili. Immediately I had several people begging me for this recipe. Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks chili is a necessity for Autumn. First, my apologies it's taken me a while to sit down and write again. The last blog I posted was from a trip I took way back in 2021 during the COVID disruptions, after a professional transition. I am never lacking in content. My issue is that I have so MUCH content in my head and so little time to write. With the cooler temps, I hope to remedy this problem, especially as I write more and more from that mini computer we carry around and call a phone.
Like I said, as soon as I posted this chili, I was inundated with requests and I promised to share. I did slip the chili recipe to an old friend from my younger years, and when she made it and posted it this weekend she had everyone begging her for the "magic sauce." So, she responded, "Thanks to my insanely funny fellow redheaded wild woman, I made her killer pot of chili. Thanks for the recipe, sister. This was tasty. As soon as she posts it on her blog, I'll share it. Colorado Kimmie, people need you!"
I've been known to make some really great chili recipes throughout my short lifetime. I can remember all the way back to the start of my chili making career. In Knoxville, Tennessee, during my undergraduate, we would make this "ghetto chili-mac," for game days and tailgating. The name wasn't to be non-PC, but because it usually entailed emptying out our meek pantry to throw everything but the kitchen sink into the crock pot. And, yes, this included macaroni noodles, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and beans galore. Usually the ingredients to a chili concoction are inexpensive. And, yes, I'm from the South and believe strongly that a good chili has beans. I've never been a fan of the Cincinnati cinnamon chili.
As I've matured with my palette over the years, I've become more bold in the kitchen, trying out new recipes and enjoying the fruits of my labor. There is so much to be found in the smaller things in life, like a delicious bowl of chili on a crisp, invigorating autumn afternoon, wrapped in a blanket and enjoying your Alma Mater winning in football and being ranked top 25. (I'm a Tennessee Volunteer, in case I haven't mentioned that before.) Oh, and can I mention how elated I was that Oregon got beaten by Washington this weekend? Retribution for humiliating the Colorado Buffs. That Auburn transfer wasn’t as good as he thought he was.
Here in Colorado, there is an area on the Front Range that is known for harvesting the Colorado Chili, not to be confused with the green hatch chili of New Mexico. The locals from Pueblo will become very insulted if you accidentally call their chili "green hatch." Every year, at the start of Autumn, they have a chili cook-off, and I've yet to make it down to immerse myself with "the greats" of chili makers. However, it did inspire me to set forth on a path of making an award winning chili, and not to sound too cliche here, but, to "go big or go home." Anything worth doing is worth overdoing!
There were several key words in my Google search for the “best chili AND recipe AND Universe.” This is called a Boolean connector (excuse the October pun…. “boo”) and increases precision on your search. I landed on this recipe that had nothing but 5 star comments from fellow chili meisters saying that it won their cook-off and it was the best thing their family had ever eaten. I took screen shots of the ingredients and instructions. Sadly, I do not know who to attribute the originality of this recipe to. I'd like to think it started somewhere in the South, and then it was borrowed and then someone added to it over the years. Thus, this chili is more than likely the culmination of several chili culinary artists over the years.
So, without further ado, here is the "golden ticket" of chili recipes:
First, you'll need your ingredients, and here in Colorado, I grabbed most everything from Sprouts. As tempting as it would seem, don't fall prey to skipping out on any of the following ingredients. Trust me. There are some ingredients that seem "spicy," but the end result isn't a spicy chili - like gastro-pubs you gotta trust the process and the flavor combos. And if you have not seen the movie, The Menu, I implore you, “do not eat, but taste”:
- 5 strips uncooked bacon chopped (I used an uncured hickory smoked, again the more smoked flavors the better)
- 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 red pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 pound ground beef (I used grass-fed beef from Sprouts)
- 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon of ancho chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons of smoked paprika (again, smoked flavors...I'm beginning to sound like a broken record)
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 1/4 cup of beef broth
- 15 oz can of dark kidney beans lightly rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can of black beans lightly rinsed and drained
- 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 7-oz can fire roasted green chilis
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Preferred toppings: I chose sour cream (can sub plain Green yogurt, which I did), cheese, Frito corn chips. Toppings are unnecessary for the chili, but also fun. For example, you could also top with chives or jalapeño peppers.
Your kitchen counter is going to look kinda weird, and I've posted pics below of what to expect. You want to have everything laid out and ready as the process moves quickly. If you're anything like me, a minimalist, and believe "less is more,” then the cornucopia of ingredients might be a tad bit daunting. Have no fear, and just jump right in:
- Place chopped (uncooked) bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp and cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but 1 1/2 tablespoons of grease. You'll need this small amount of bacon grease later on. Although a small amount, it goes a long way.
- Add onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (only about 30 seconds as garlic cooks quickly)
- Add beef, breaking apart with a spatula as you cook. Once the meat is partially (about 50%) browned, add sugar and all the spices (chili powders, paprika, cumin, onion powder, black pepper, salt cayenne pepper) and stir well
- Add all the remaining ingredients - beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce - and your cooked bacon and stir well
- Bring the chili to a oil and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently
- Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes to allow flavor to really develop.
- Serve with any preferred toppings.
Some shots from my iPhone of the end result:
The best complement to a bowl of chili is cornbread! And, if that statement doesn't mark me as a Southern woman, through and through, I don't know what will. My Granny made it without measuring out a single ingredient, and I miss it so much. I wish I had written down her recipe to pass along to you!
One last thing if you plan on having an Autumn chili party, I found this picture of a charcuterie for chili online:
Enjoy!
Colorado Kimmie
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