I have used this Chili recipe for many years now and have tweaked it over and over again. It is a simple recipe, but I have found that simple may sometimes be the best. I am not one who cares for overly spicy foods but that can be altered to one's liking. I do however like it more soup like as some prefer their chili thicker.
My Favorite Chili
2-3 Tablespoons of a good olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2-3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 1 1/2-pound ground round
1-2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2–28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1- 30 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Place olive oil in a 5-to-6-quart heavy Dutch oven, add onions and bell pepper and sauté until onions are opaque, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for only a minute making sure the garlic does not burn. Add the ground round and cook until browned; add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Then add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans and bay leaf. Mix thoroughly, bring to a boil and turn heat down to a simmer. Simmer for two hours stirring frequently. Cover with a lid but not completely covered tightly.
For toppings my favorites are grated cheddar cheese with a dollop of sour cream and sometimes chopped scallions, but the toppings list is endless, whatever you personally like.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Notes: When I add the two cans of tomatoes, I always put some water in the can about half full in each can for two reasons. I want to get every drop of the crushed tomatoes and as I mentioned I like my chili like a soup. This too can be altered to one's liking with adding more water if needed. I only use 1 Tablespoon of chili powder but only because I am not a huge fan of overly spicy foods. I use fresh bay leaf from my garden and when doing so I add two. If using dried bay leaf, one is sufficient.
Assembling one's ingredients ahead of time is essential.
And of course, prepping makes things go much quicker.
This is my pot of choice for preparing my chili, a 6 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. Using tomatoes will sometimes burn on the bottom of the pot if it isn't a heavy one.
The result, a delicious bowl of chili with just the right toppings. Served on a chilly evening makes it all the more comforting. Make sure you taste it before serving, it may need additional salt and pepper.
My Favorite Chili, as I've mentioned before is a simple recipe but yet very good. It is a recipe that has served me well. Not so many ingredients that muddy up the flavors that you want to taste. I want to taste the ground round and the delicious tomatoes, and I am not one to eat green bell pepper but, in my opinion, it is essential to this chili recipe. One of the key ingredients in my recipe is cumin and I dearly love the addition of it. You can always add in more chili powder or add some hot sauce to make it spicy but to me this recipe is perfect. I am a strong believer that using really good ingredients makes all the difference in the world.
I hope you'll try my chili recipe; it is yummy. Pare it with a fresh salad and a glass of wine and it is a win, win.
Enjoy your day and I hope you enjoy this chili recipe.
Carolyn