Stay Warm with All-American Beef Chili This Fall
by Jenna Weber on Oct 25, 2012
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This is your traditional all-American beef chili.
The chili you make during football season, the chili you make on the first day it snows and the chili you make, freeze, then pull out for dinner on a rainy day. This is it.
As a kid, I grew up eating my moms Midwestern-style turkey chili over elbow noodles. The chili had a touch of sweetness in it and almost resembled a thick ragu sauce. To this day, my mom's turkey chili holds a special spot in my heart.
About three years ago, I met my Texan boyfriend who also grew up eating chili -- only his was extra thick and spicy with lots of ground beef and beans.
I like to think that this recipe combines the two. Like my mom's recipe, this chili has a touch of sweetness to round out the flavor of the tomatoes. And like my boyfriend's Texas-style chili, this contains a heavy hand of beef and beans.
The ingredient that pulls it all together? Coffee. It rounds out the flavor and adds a little depth to the bowl.
I think you're going to love this chili. It freezes wonderfully and tastes even better the second or third day, after the flavors have time to meld together a bit.
All-American Beef Chili with Beans
Recipe by Jenna Weber
- Servings
- 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 16-oz cans chili beans (pinto beans in mild sauce)
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 10-oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
- 10 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1.5 lbs ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup brewed coffee
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- sour cream
- sliced or pickled jalapenos
- grated cheddar cheese
- cornbread wedges
