Darn Good Southern Chili
A classic hearty southern chili recipe made with beef, beans, blend of spices in a rich and flavorful tomato base. Simple, homemade, comforting. Perfect one pot meal for the whole family. Freezes well, too!
Ingredients
- about 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil a few times around the pot
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 lbs. ground beef prefer sirloin as not to drain fat
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt prefer Diamond brand
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 28-ounce can San Marzano peeled whole tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand (core removed)
- 1 10.75-ounce can tomato puree
- 10 ounces chicken stock
- 5 ounces water
- 1 16-ounce can Pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15.5-ounce can small red beans, rinsed and drained not kidney beans
- 1 4.5-ounce can chopped mild green chiles / red pepper flakes / Tabasco sauce optional if you want some heat
Optional Toppings
- sliced scallions (green onions)
- chopped raw yellow onion
- shredded cheese prefer Tillamook Mexican 4 Cheese
- fresh cilantro
- sour cream
- crispy crumbled bacon
- pico de gallo
Instructions
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Add olive oil to a wide, large pot and place it over medium to high heat for a minute. When the oil is shimmering, add the diced yellow onion. It should sizzle on contact. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until the corners begin to caramelize.
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Reduce the heat slightly and add the minced garlic. Stir frequently so the garlic doesn't burn for a minute until fragrant.
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Add the meat and using a wooden spoon, break up the meat as you stir, ensuring the onion and garlic are well incorporated. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
Note: Because I used a lean beef, I didn't need to drain any fat. Depending on your cut of beef, you may need to drain some fat. It's easier to break up the meat with a wooden spoon instead of a flexible rubber spatula.
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Add all the seasonings at once - chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, granulated sugar, kosher salt and white pepper. Stir well to combine. The meat will get a deep color from all the spices.
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Crush the San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes in your hands over the pot. Remove the hard core at the end, and add the juice. Add the tomato puree and stir to combine.
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In order to pick up all the tomato goodness left in the cans, add the chicken stock and water into the large can and pour the liquid back and forth between the two tomato cans a few times. Add that liquid into the pot.
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Add the beans and stir all the ingredients until they are well combined and at a steady simmer. Cover and lower the temperature to a low bubbling simmer. Cook at least for 1 ½ hours, stirring about every 15 minutes, so the flavors marry. The longer the flavors marry, the better the chili. See Note below.
Note: If you want some heat, add the green chiles/red pepper flakes or Tabasco to taste after you add in the beans. For me 1 small can of green chiles is perfect.
Toppings
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Serve with a variety of toppings including extra hot sauce.
Recipe Notes
Cooking Note: My friend cooks this low and slow up to 4 hours. If it's a little dry, add a little extra water to loosen up the sauce. According to her the longer it sits, the better. You can also make this in a crockpot. Follow the steps up to browning the meat. Transfer to crockpot and add all the other ingredients. Mix well, cover and cook for 4 -6 hours on low.
Freezes Well: I like to store leftovers in a Ziploc freezer bag once it's completely cooled. Remove all the air and freeze flat. Keeps for a few months. Date the Ziploc bag so you know when you froze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and either warm up on the stove top or microwave oven.