Chili… On a Chilly Fall Day

Fall seems to have taken a permanent hold over the last few weeks and as a result, I’ve been craving a warm and hearty comfort meal full of flavor. What cures that craving better than a big bowl of chili that has slowly simmered for hours? Not much, right? I have only ever made one other version of chili, which is the one my mom made growing up. While it’s certainly a great meal, it’s not quite authentic - it doesn’t contain much in the way of seasonings and includes rice. So I went off in search of a more traditional chili recipe.

The web was full of recipes, so I finally settled on one and then went ahead and tweaked it to suit my tastes. Since I don’t like very spicy foods, the amount of chili powder and cumin in this recipe probably seem low to the chili aficionados, but it’s just as easy to ramp them up, so adjust them to suit your own personal tastes. The amount that I include in the recipe is enough to taste the seasonings, but not enough to set your mouth tingling.

This is one of the best homemade bowls of chili I have ever had. The combination of flavors is fantastic, the beans make it a truly hearty meal, and the absolute key is the long slow simmer that allows all of the flavors to meld together and thicken into a fabulous chili with a smell so enticing that it would wake up the soundest of sleepers. I would suggest the 2-3 hours of uncovered simmer as a minimum - I actually simmered uncovered for 2 hours and then covered the pot and simmered for another 2 hours. It improved substantially in that time. I served chili with the traditional accompaniment - cornbread. I fell in love with this recipe last year and it’s probably the most authentic (save for a cast iron skillet) that I’ve tried yet. Enjoy!!

Chili
(Adapted from Recipezaar)

2 lbs ground beef
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans (with liquid)
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans (with liquid)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

1. Brown ground beef in a large pot (I used my 7.25 qt Dutch oven) over medium heat.

2. Drain off the fat.

3. Combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

4. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.

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11 Comments


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  1. We don’t like spicey chili here either so this would be perfect for us, through in some cornbread and this is one good dinner.

    Comment by Bunny
  2. Unlike you, I have a million chili recipes. I feel like I rarely make the same one twice. I’ll have to add this to the arsenal!

    Comment by Kate
  3. Mmmmm! Chili, chili, I LOVE chili!!! Glad you found a recipe that made both you and Nick happy. Looks great!

    Comment by Annie
  4. Yum! I love chili of all kinds. I’m making some this week, too.

    Comment by Renea(MrsSchoon)
  5. What a great way to warm up!

    Comment by Maria
  6. Yum! I LOVE LOVE LOVE chili! I am definitely going to make this next time its a rainy day outside and all i want is comfort food! plus i love wendy’s chili too! thanks for the recipe!

    Comment by Jenn's Baking Chamber
  7. This reminds me that I must make chili! I never make the same version twice. the only constant ingredient are beans, everything else is varied: makes it more fun :)

    Comment by Olga
  8. Chili is kinda the best comfort food ever, huh? I love it! Yours looks delish :)

    Comment by heather
  9. I love all kinds of chili. Did your husband think it tasted like Wendy’s? I actually like Wendy’s chili as well but I spice it up a bit. I’ve never really dissected Wendy’s chili but I didn’t think it had celery or two kinds of beans.

    Comment by A Cooking Dad
  10. This looks like a great chili recipe! Can’t wait to try it out on my new cooktop this weekend.

    Comment by I Love Cooking
  11. It’s getting to be that time of the year where chili sounds perfect. Will try browning the meat in my Dutch Oven too.

    Comment by I Luv Cooking

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