Homemade chili comes in as many varieties as there are cooks. Seems we each have our favorite recipes. Most us of make this classic American dish with no recipe at all. It's for this reason I've never shared mine as everyone already seems to know how to make it.
Recently however I served it to guests who asked for the recipe. So here it is. I wouldn't say mine is Texas chili but perhaps it's close. I always say to make your family whatever you know they like. People grow up with a type of chili and are often quite attached to it. So go with what you know they love.
In my chili I use ground beef (85 percent lean), a poblano chili pepper and one can of minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. I also use three types of beans.The poblano is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho. Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in chile rellenos poblanos. I think it gives the dish an authentic taste without being too hot. If you prefer it more mild, then use half the poblano pepper. Some people like a very thick chili and others are looking for more of a soup. Adjust the recipe as noted below to your desired consistency by adding or reducing the water content.
Make your chili at least a day in advance in the slow cooker. Let it simmer most of the day. Then turn it off and let it cool before refrigeration. This gives the flavors time to properly meld. When you are ready to eat, put it back in the Crockpot on high at least an hour or so before serving to give it time to reheat.
This recipe makes a large batch which fills my large Crockpot completely. It easily serves eight for dinner. I serve it with the classic cornbread and coleslaw. Today I have some leftover baby back ribs so I'm going to give everyone a couple of those as well.
Ingredients
2+ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
pinch of salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper (or half), chopped
1/2 cup wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 7-ounce can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
chili powder (to taste, a pinch to a teaspoon)
1 15-ounce can each red, pink and white kidney beans
1-3 cups water
Instructions
Set your slow cooker to high and let it warm.
Using a large skillet (stainless or cast iron, not a non-stick skillet) placed over high heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat until very hot and just starting to smoke. Add 1 pound ONLY of the ground beef breaking it up in the pan with a spoon. Permit it to cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes until it is nicely browned. Stir and continue cooking until all is well browned. Remove from skillet into your hot Crockpot. Repeat with the second pound of ground beef. In the now empty skillet, add your onion and salt. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and the chopped pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the wine or sherry and scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Add the vinegar and stir for another minute and transfer contents to Crockpot.
Chop the chipotle chilies and add, with their sauce to the mixture in the Crockpot and stir to combine.
In your food processor with the chopping blade in place, add one can of the crushed tomatoes. Add the sugar and spices. Process the mixture until the tomatoes are no longer chunky and you have a smooth sauce. Add to the Crockpot. Add the second can of crushed tomatoes to the mixture. Drain the beans and add to the Crockpot and stir to combine. Add water until the mixture is at the thickness of your liking. I typically add about 3 cups.
Permit the chili to cook in the slow cooker on high for at least 3 hours, then turn to low and cook another hour. Stir periodically during cooking. Turn off the Crockpot and allow the chili to cool completely. Remove the crock and refrigerate with the chili covered.
At least 1-2 hours before serving, return the crock to the Crockpot base and heat until high until heated through. Serve hot.
Recently however I served it to guests who asked for the recipe. So here it is. I wouldn't say mine is Texas chili but perhaps it's close. I always say to make your family whatever you know they like. People grow up with a type of chili and are often quite attached to it. So go with what you know they love.
In my chili I use ground beef (85 percent lean), a poblano chili pepper and one can of minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. I also use three types of beans.The poblano is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho. Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in chile rellenos poblanos. I think it gives the dish an authentic taste without being too hot. If you prefer it more mild, then use half the poblano pepper. Some people like a very thick chili and others are looking for more of a soup. Adjust the recipe as noted below to your desired consistency by adding or reducing the water content.
Make your chili at least a day in advance in the slow cooker. Let it simmer most of the day. Then turn it off and let it cool before refrigeration. This gives the flavors time to properly meld. When you are ready to eat, put it back in the Crockpot on high at least an hour or so before serving to give it time to reheat.
This recipe makes a large batch which fills my large Crockpot completely. It easily serves eight for dinner. I serve it with the classic cornbread and coleslaw. Today I have some leftover baby back ribs so I'm going to give everyone a couple of those as well.
Ingredients
2+ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
pinch of salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper (or half), chopped
1/2 cup wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 7-ounce can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
chili powder (to taste, a pinch to a teaspoon)
1 15-ounce can each red, pink and white kidney beans
1-3 cups water
Instructions
Set your slow cooker to high and let it warm.
Using a large skillet (stainless or cast iron, not a non-stick skillet) placed over high heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat until very hot and just starting to smoke. Add 1 pound ONLY of the ground beef breaking it up in the pan with a spoon. Permit it to cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes until it is nicely browned. Stir and continue cooking until all is well browned. Remove from skillet into your hot Crockpot. Repeat with the second pound of ground beef. In the now empty skillet, add your onion and salt. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and the chopped pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the wine or sherry and scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Add the vinegar and stir for another minute and transfer contents to Crockpot.
Chop the chipotle chilies and add, with their sauce to the mixture in the Crockpot and stir to combine.
In your food processor with the chopping blade in place, add one can of the crushed tomatoes. Add the sugar and spices. Process the mixture until the tomatoes are no longer chunky and you have a smooth sauce. Add to the Crockpot. Add the second can of crushed tomatoes to the mixture. Drain the beans and add to the Crockpot and stir to combine. Add water until the mixture is at the thickness of your liking. I typically add about 3 cups.
Permit the chili to cook in the slow cooker on high for at least 3 hours, then turn to low and cook another hour. Stir periodically during cooking. Turn off the Crockpot and allow the chili to cool completely. Remove the crock and refrigerate with the chili covered.
At least 1-2 hours before serving, return the crock to the Crockpot base and heat until high until heated through. Serve hot.
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