Foodie Mamma's 2 Hour Chili


Ingredients

Serves 4-8 (Mild-Medium Heat)

4 crispy pieces of bacon, chopped with fat drippings
1.5lbs Beef stew meat, cubed
3 - 4 cups chicken broth/stock¹
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 head of garlic, chopped
1 small can of mild or Original Rotel
1 small can Hunts tomato paste
1/8c - 1/4c fine yellow corn meal¹
sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tbs + 1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp black pepper¹
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp McCormick's Montreal steak seasoning¹
Seasoning Blend... aka "healthy" amounts of the below seasonings to your taste:
McCormick's Chipotle Roasted Garlic Powder
Chili powder
Dark chili powder
Paprika
Oregano
Dried chives

¹ start with the baseline measurement, add these ingredients if needed or desired. If you add more liquid, you will need more cornmeal to tighten up your chili.
Note: Cocoa powder and cinnamon can absolutely be eliminated, or start with less if you're skeptical.
Double Note: No, I did not have salt on my list for a reason. It's in the Montreal seasoning and in the broth, plus saltiness from the bacon and anything from a can. After the meat has cooked for an hour, do a taste test for salt and spices.

Optional Ingredients

sprinkle of red pepper flakes
Can of beans, kidney or black beans
Corn or hominy
1 bell pepper
1 bottle of dark beer
Swap chicken broth/stock for beef broth/stock

Preface

My cousin Joanne, twice removed :) posted a question on social media today, polling friends and family for an easy chili recipe. I couldn't stop thinking about chili. It's the perfect weather, icy and snowy this morning, then the winds died down and the temps rose to 44ºF... cloudy. Yes... chili please! I just loaded up on meats yesterday!

Anyway, I don't like blogs that carry on and on. I love the "Jump to Recipe" buttons. I have tried all kinds of chili recipes, and 9 times out of 10, I don't completely follow the recipes I find because it really depends on what I have at home. Chili is really forgiving that way. If you add great seasoning (aromatics!), if you buy quality meat, and if you cook it at least 2 hours, you're going to be okay. Today, this is what I have on me, so this is what I'm going to account for.

Let's Make it:

Start your bacon in a dutch oven on the stove, medium to medium-high heat. When crispy, break into pieces and reserve the fat and bacon in a small bowl to the side.

Add your beef in to brown, scraping the bottom as it browns.

Add your chopped onions and garlic, stir.

Add in your Rotel and tomato paste. Top off with 3 cups of chicken broth, reserve the extra cup or so.

Add your seasonings and cornmeal. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. If you decide you want more chicken broth, add it now.

Reduce your heat to low. Every 10 minutes or so, stir your chili, really scraping the bottom ensuring the cornmeal and seasonings aren't burning on the bottom.

After 1 hour, taste test! Need more salt or pepper? Need more liquid? A little thin and need a little extra dusting of cornmeal? Go for it! **Before doing that, if you're going to add beans, rinse and drain beans, add to the chili, and do a taste test in another 5-10 mins before adding anything else. Beans are starchy and salty, you'll want to gauge things after adding.

Cook for another hour. See if your meat has done it's thing and is at the tender, fall apart stage. At the 2 hour mark, I like to start to break the meat apart. If needed, I let it simmer for another half hour. You'll see I like mine on the thicker side– stew-like.


Optional Topping Suggestions

Roasted Corn
Salsa or Pico de Gallo
Sour Cream
Scallion or green onion
Tortilla Strips
Frito's, if they don't smell like feet to you lol.

Optional Base Suggestions

Baked Potato that you've pre-gamed with butter inside
Rice
Cornbread
Nachos
A naked bowl, because you just want chili, d*mnit.

ENJOY!

*My personal affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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