How to make the best chili recipe
The best chili recipe you’ll ever taste is the one that’s been simmering on the stove for hours. It’s a labor of love, but it will be worth it when you get to sit down and enjoy your dinner with friends or family. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make a great batch of traditional chili from start to finish!
What is traditional chili?
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If ever you’re wondering what traditional chili is, read on to find out. Traditional chili is not the kind of chili that has kidney beans in it, and it’s also not the kind of chili that comes with sour cream or cheese on top (although those are both very delicious).
Traditional chili does NOT have tomatoes either! The classic definition of traditional chili excludes all these ingredients and more. Now that we’ve got your attention let’s dive deeper.
Traditional chili consists of ground beef, beans, and tomatoes. However, the word “traditional” is not to be taken lightly. There are many variations on traditional chili that can range from slight changes in ingredients to completely different recipes altogether. Some even opt to use black beans or pinto beans.
There are also variations of ingredients on the classic chili. While others contemplate on whether to put beans or not, it depends on your tastebuds. Though usually, if you’re from Texas, adding beans is a BIG no.
More to discover…
But if you’re from elsewhere, you might be open to adding some beans for a twist. It’s crucial to know how the traditional chili was made in case the chili recipe you’re doing is the modern version already—no harm in getting back to the roots.
While the best chili recipe has been around for ages, let’s have a glimpse at its history. The Chili Queens from San Antonio are the ones who whisked it up and made it popular in the 1900s.
The Queens who have Mexican blood make these chilies at home, and they load them in wagons and bring it to the plaza with pots, other gears, and crockery. The recipe was called chili due to the fiery flavor and their origin, the Chili Queens.
As for your traditional chili, it’s any meat or meat combinations cooked with red chili peppers. There were also other spices and ingredients included in the chili recipe. The garnish is not needed with the traditional recipe, and pasta isn’t also a part of this dish.
The Best Chili Recipes
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If you’re looking for a hearty, delicious, easy, and the best chili recipe, look no further! This is the best chili recipe I know of. You can use any type of meat that you like to make this dish your own.
Add some beans if you want to get an extra dose of protein too! It also goes best with baked potatoes, a must-try! Give it a try and enjoy what will surely be one of your new favorite dishes!
Ingredients:
- One medium-sized white onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp sugar (You can use brown sugar if you prefer)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (grounded)
- 2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 16 oz in can red kidney beans (drained)
- 15 oz in can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
How to:
- In a large pot, pour the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- For this best chili recipe, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Then keep stirring.
- Mix in the ground beef. Using your wooden spoon, separate it apart. While stirring occasionally, cook your beef until browned.
- Stir in cumin, chili powder, sugar, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can add cayenne if you prefer. Stir until all ingredients are mixed evenly.
- Pour the broth, diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, and drained beans. Then stir.
- Let the liquid come to a low boil. Reduce the heat and bring to a boil. Take off the cover while simmering. Stir occasionally.
- Turn off heat and let your best chili recipe rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Green Chili Recipe
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Ingredients:
- 4 lbs boneless pork cut into chunks (butt part and extra fat cut)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- One medium yellow onion
- Salt and pepper (black)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 12 oz frozen or canned green chilies (undrained and diced)
- 1 lb tomatillos (quartered and husked)
- Four cloves garlic
- Two jalapeños
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 cups cilantro
- 15 oz fire-roasted tomatoes (diced)
- 4 cups chicken stock
How to:
- Preheat your broiler and pour olive oil.
- Drizzle with salt and pepper, then broil for 5 minutes or until brown.
- On medium heat, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot.
- Toss in half of the pork and cook until brown. Then add the remaining olive oil and the other half of the pork, cook until brown, and set aside.
- Saute onion for 4-5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Add undrained green chilies, tomatillos, cilantro, oregano, cumin, and chicken stock using your blender. Puree this best chili recipe until smooth.
- Combine the blended mixture, browned pork, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and remaining chicken stock on the pot.
- Stir and turn on the heat to medium-high. Let it boil and reduce heat. Let it boil with cover as you stir occasionally.
- Slow cook this best chili recipe for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until pork, is soft and shredded.
- Serve hot with diced cilantro or tortilla chips.
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 cup bell pepper (diced)
- 3 large boneless chicken breasts (skinless)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (Minced)
- 15 oz corn (rinsed and the juice drained)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 14 oz kidney beans (rinsed and the juice drained)
- 14 oz black beans (rinsed and the juice drained)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 3/4 cup salsa
- 2 limes
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can refried beans
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
Directions
- The slow cooker combines chicken, jalapeño pepper, corn, beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions.
- Mix lime juice, salsa, chicken broth, cumin, garlic, and chili powder in a bowl. Add in chicken mixture.
- Slow cook on low 6-8 hours or at high 3-4 hours.
- Remove from the cooker and shred. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Add in refried beans and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
- Serve this best chili recipe hot or with your favorite toppings.
What toppings go with chili?
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What’s the best way to top your chili? Do you like cheese, sour cream, and jalapenos? How about adding some avocado or bacon. The possibilities are endless!
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite best chili recipe toppings that we hope will inspire you to create your delicious chili creations.
The possibilities are endless for what you can add as a topping for your best chili recipe! Our team has put together a list of our favorites that we hope will inspire you on what toppings go well with this versatile dish.
- Red or green onion
- Jalapeños
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Croutons
- Tortilla chips
- Avocado and lime wedges
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced scallions
- Minced cilantro
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Key Takeaway
This post has been a great way to teach you about the secrets of making the best homemade chili ever. But it’s not just about what ingredients to use or how much, but also when and why they should be added. Though the depth of flavor varies depending on the ingredients used.
The timing is crucial for this dish, so don’t forget that next time! I hope you’ve learned all sorts of new tricks from reading through this article. Enjoy your newfound knowledge and try out these tips in your kitchen at home soon!
