Sup internet. I went swimming and re-watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy yesterday so I am in a great mood!!!
This post will be about chili, which I decided to take a crack at after having godly chili at a get-together over the winter. The cook doesn't follow recipes but gave me some pointers, and combined with a similar-seeming recipe and a few iterations, I was able to make a chili that arguably tastes just as good!!
Ingredients
For frying
-1 lb lean Ground Beef, (85% lean/15% fat)
-1/2 large onion, diced
-5 garlic cloves, minced
Spices for frying
-2 tsp cumin powder
-2 tbsp chili powder
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1.5 tsp salt, or to taste
-1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
-1 tsp dried cilantro
Note that I only end up using 3/4 of the above ingredients, I just hate dealing with raw meat so I'd rather just dump the package of ground beef and have some extra for another meal.
Beans
-15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
-10 oz of 15 oz can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-10 oz of 15 can of chickpeas
Tomato products
-8 oz canned whole tomatoes, with their juice, diced (I like San Marzano tomatoes)
-3 oz diced tomatoes and green chilis, with their juice
-5 oz canned tomato sauce
-3 tbsp tomato paste
For serving (optional)
-fresh cilantro
-sour cream
-cheese (I used a Mexican cheese blend)
Equipment
-Slow cooker
Recipe
Just a heads up, I recommend slow cooking the chili for 8 hours, so plan accordingly.
First off, dice the onion and garlic, and prepare your frying spices in a bowl.
Then, place a large skillet over medium-high heat and place your ground beef there. Sauté until the beef renders fat, about 4-5 minutes. Continuously break up the ground beef chunks with a spoon or spatula. Please look at my beautiful new cast iron skillet.
Then, place your onion in the skillet and sauté until tender, about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Then place the garlic and all the spices, and cook another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Take off the heat. Place 3/4 of the batch in the slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker (all the beans and tomato products listed).
Mix well with a spoon, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. Then season to taste.
I forgot to take any pics until the chili was done, but here it is, cooling down in an ice bath because it finished after 10 pm and I needed it to cool down before placing in the fridge.
Serve with cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips...whatever you want.
Result
I always thought chili was kind of boring. It is not if you invest in it. This chili is so rich, because of the beef and fat, the ample seasonings, and the tomato paste. It has amazing texture, because of the beef and different types of beans, and also because it isn't too watered down by tomato ingredients. It has a slight kick from the spices and chilis.
What a wonderful, hearty meal, chock full of protein and fiber and so comforting. I'm feeling grateful for this dish and all the other hearty winter meals I'll be making till it gets warmer and nicer outside.
-Tuck
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