Best Chili Ever! Recipe - Food.com (2024)

9

Submitted by Rachaels Kitchen Go

"Rachael's Recipe Notes: Yes, you are reading the ingredients correctly - fennel seed, ground cinnamon and unsweetened baking cocoa are what make this delicious!I make this in a 4 quart stainless steel pan on the stove top, but after sweating the onions and peppers and browning the meat, if you want to put this in a crockpot and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, it's just as good!If you like, you can add a can of diced tomatoes, undrained (15 to 16 ounces), at the same time you add the tomato paste. Sometimes my family likes the diced tomatoes, sometimes they don't.I serve this with homemade jalepeno cornbread and/or crispy tortilla strips."

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Ready In:
3hrs 30mins

Ingredients:
15
Yields:

3 quarts

Serves:
6-8

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ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon oil (I prefer olive)
  • 1 12 lbs lean ground beef (90% really tastes the best in this)
  • 1 12 cups onions, coarsely chopped (I use vidalia or spanish)
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 2 -3 tablespoons chili powder (more to taste if you like a good KICK!)
  • 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 18 teaspoon unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 18 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (more to taste if you like it very hot!)
  • 2 lbs beans (I use dark red kidney and pink beans or light red kidney beans, 15 to 16 ounces each can, drained an)
  • 8 ounces green chilies, canned, chopped & undrained (4 ounces each)
  • 3 cups water

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directions

  • In a very large, deep pre-heated skillet, add olive oil, then add chopped onions and peppers. I also add a little bit of water to the pan (maybe tablespoon or two); cover and cook on medium-low heat, just until onions and peppers begin to sweat. Uncover and add ground beef, using spatula to break up chunks of meat. Cover and cook on low heat until meat is cooked through, about 20 minutes or so (I add a little water during the cooking process). While the meat is cooking, I add the chili powder. I start with 1 Tbsp., and add as I go.
  • Once the meat is browned, add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate completely (I also add more water at this point, enough to make it start looking like chili, a nice, thick chili). Cover and cook on lower heat (slow simmer) for 30 minutes.
  • Add the 5 ingredients, stir to incorporate, cover and cook on low (at a slow simmer) for another 60 minutes.
  • Add beans and green chiles (including the "juice"), stirring to incorporate. At this point, add more water if you need to do so. Cover and cook on low (slow simmer) for another 40 minutes.
  • Total cooking time is about 2-1/2 to 3 hours on stovetop. I know this sounds like a long time, but it really needs that much time to simmer and let the flavors blend.
  • Serve with chopped red onion, sour cream, hot sauce, and shredded cheddar, colby and/or Jack cheese(s).

Questions & Replies

Best Chili Ever! Recipe - Food.com (5)

  1. If I use the canned light kidney beans, is it one or two cans?

    RebeccaA48

  2. Can cinnamon bourbon be used in chili? If so, how much would you recommend? Could it be used in place of the cinnamon?

    Bonnie W.

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Reviews

  1. This is really, really tasty chili. Will make this chili from now on. I made a few changes, but what really makes this chili delicious is the fennel seed. Thank you for the recipe.

    55tbird

  2. This was very nice. I made a few adjustments to amounts... after halving the recipe, I used 1 whole yellow pepper (no red), a bit more chili powder, cinnamon & cocoa, and half the pepper flakes. Also reduced the water to just 1 cup as I like my chili very thick. After cooking, I thought it could use some salt so added 1/2 tsp. This made a good weekend supper in the colder weather we are having. Thanks for the recipe!

  3. Going to try it tonight!! Looks wonderful!!

    John T.

  4. Pretty good recipe. Used it for chili dogs and will be having left overs of chili with corn bread and chili cheese baked potatoes. I made it in my electric pressure cooker. I had the beans soaking when I left for work. Came home and put everything in the pressure cooker for 40 minutes. Upon tasting, I think the amount of red pepper was too much so will knock it down by a 1/4 tsp. next time. I also halved the recipe since there is only three of us. I substituted anise seed for the fennel because I didn't have fennel. I googled and learned that anise reads sweeter than fennel and will experiment with taking that down a notch too. Chili was still good. Hubby had three chili dogs!

    Cheffenade

  5. This is just the type of full bodied flavorful chili that I love! I didn't have a red pepper so I used a whole yellow pepper and will probably cut down on the pepper flakes next time because even though I love it spicy, my husband does not. I also didn't have tomato paste so I used a can of tomato sauce and then hardly any water. It was really really good!

    scarletsunn

see 4 more reviews

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Tweaks

  1. Pretty good recipe. Used it for chili dogs and will be having left overs of chili with corn bread and chili cheese baked potatoes. I made it in my electric pressure cooker. I had the beans soaking when I left for work. Came home and put everything in the pressure cooker for 40 minutes. Upon tasting, I think the amount of red pepper was too much so will knock it down by a 1/4 tsp. next time. I also halved the recipe since there is only three of us. I substituted anise seed for the fennel because I didn't have fennel. I googled and learned that anise reads sweeter than fennel and will experiment with taking that down a notch too. Chili was still good. Hubby had three chili dogs!

    Cheffenade

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Rachaels Kitchen Go

United States

  • 2 Followers
  • 20 Recipes

I live and work in Western NY with my husband and kids. I work part-time.I love all cookbooks, no particular favorites.I love to cook, collect recipes and cookbooks, trade recipes, read, listen to music, watch movies, spend time with my family.If I won the lottery, I'd spend the rest of my life in Italy cooking, cooking, cooking, and more cooking.

View Full Profile

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Best Chili Ever! Recipe  - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What does adding cinnamon to chili do? ›

Cinnamon. The beauty of ground cinnamon is that it brings a warmth to your chili, without being spicy. It works well with other flavors commonly found in chili (like tomato, cumin and chile powder) so you only need a little bit to achieve the desired balance.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

What makes the best chili meat? ›

When making chili, former Southern Living Test Kitchen Director, Robby Melvin, recommends using a mix of ground chuck and ground sirloin. "It's the best of both worlds," he says. "You get a balanced lean-to-fat ratio from the chuck and the hearty, beefy leanness from the sirloin."

What chili has the best flavor? ›

In talking with many pepper enthusiasts, we've found the Habanero to be universally considered to be one of the best tasting peppers.

Does chili need tomato paste? ›

Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions.

What is chili magic? ›

Where there's chipotle smoke, there's chili fire. Bush's® Chili Magic® Campfire Style brings tender pintos together with smoky chipotle and green bell peppers for quick, unforgettable chili any night of the week.​

Does Wendy's put sugar in their chili? ›

Chili Concentrate: Chili Sauce (Water, Tomato Juice, Tomatoes, Calcium Chloride, Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Corn Starch, Dried Chilies, Spices, Flavor Enhancer [Dextrose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Modified Corn Starch], Citric Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Xanthan gum), Beans (Pink Beans, Red ...

Why do you put butter in chili? ›

Butter smooths out the bitterness and adds its unique richness, making you take another bite without quite knowing why. A dash of sugar and vinegar gives a sweet-sour flavor that also makes the sauce rounder and more satisfying.

How do you make chili more interesting? ›

I like to give my chili a little more complexity, so I'll often add canned chipotle chili peppers, a touch of cinnamon or Chinese 5 spice, chocolate and cilantro or coriander. A few other flavor boosting ingredients could be: smoked sausage, grilled corn kernels, coffee, beer or roasted tomatoes.

Why do people put baking soda in chili? ›

According to the magazine's food experimenters, the baking soda treatment will definitely keep the meat tender and juicy when cooked.

What is my chili missing? ›

Sometimes after a long simmer, your chili will taste wonderful be maybe missing one little thing you can't figure out. Try a tad bit of vinegar or a squeeze of lime! The acidity in vinegar & limes bring a good roundness to the pot and binds all the flavors together.

What is the most flavorful meat for chili? ›

The best chili meat is a combination of meats, often a mix of ground chuck, ground sirloin, brisket, diced tri-tip, and/or some bacon or sausage. Do your best to mix smaller pieces with larger pieces to stack textures and make it your own! Happy cooking!

Why is my chili not flavorful? ›

Change up the beans. Use black beans, pintos, or a combination of beans to give more flavor. Cook the chili! If you don't cook it long enough (or put in a pressure cooker to speed up the process), it won't taste quite right.

How do you make chili taste stronger? ›

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

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