Tom's Chili

Updated 2019
As with many of the recipes that I make, I almost never make them the same way twice.  This is especially true with chili.  Chili falls into the category of whatever is in the cupboard and the refrigerator can probably be used as an ingredient in chili.  This was especially true with this version.  But like my other versions, this chili turned out to be delicious and perfectly suited to the weather we are experiencing.  ---Tom  (originally posted back in 2010)

Tom's Chili

Serves 8-10

1 lb. lean top round beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 lb lean pork, veal and beef mixture - actually any ground meat will do
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 red onion, chopped
2-3 assorted bell peppers, seeded and chopped (red, yellow, orange, green)
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, chopped (adjust this based on the degree of heat you like)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 jar of Paul Newman's Tomato Basil Pasta sauce
1 15-oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 bottle of beer
3 tablespoons chili powder*
1 tablespoon cumin powder*
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 t. cayenne pepper*
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa - a secret ingredient, a la Mexican mole
1 can of low-salt chicken broth
 ~2 cups water (optional)
1 15-oz can dark kidney beans
1 15-oz can butter beans
1 15-oz can black beans
2 tablespoons cornstarch and enough water to make a paste for thickening (optional)*
salt and pepper to taste

You can literally add any other vegetable that you like or have on hand.  That is the beauty of chili.  Virtually anything can go into the pot.

Cut up the red onion into large chunks.

Do the same with the red pepper after removing the seeds.

Here you can see how I chopped the carrots.  I kept the pieces rather large ~1/2 inch.  Believe it or not, after cooking for about 3 hours, they were still a bit crunchy.

Brown the meat in a large skillet with a little cooking oil. This time I used all ground beef, but I now usually use and recommend 1 lb. top round beef, cut into 1/2" cubes in addition to the 1 lb. of ground.

When there is still a little pink left, it is done.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned meat to a large cooking pot.  Keep as much of the liquid in the pan as possible, as that will be used to saute the vegetables.

Add all of the vegetables except the garlic to the large skillet, and cook them for about 10 minutes stirring frequently.  If you find that there is too much liquid in the pan, carefully pour some of the excess liquid out of the pan.  You are trying to saute the vegetables versus steaming them.  With one minute to go, add the chopped garlic.

With the slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to the large pot where you had previously transferred the browned meat.

Here are my two "secret ingredients" that add to the overall taste of the chili.  Beer brings out the full flavor of the chili powder and cumin powder.  I used a dark beer and that adds a bit of flavor itself.  Cocoa adds a deeper taste dimension to the chili.  Think Mexican mole, which relies on chocolate, to add flavors to many traditional Mexican dishes - not found at Taco Bell!

Here was my substitute for crushed tomatoes.  I had never used a pasta sauce in chili before, but I will now.  I found this was a great substitute in place of the crushed tomatoes.  Maybe it was the basil that added a new dimension to the taste of this chili.  Then add the diced tomatoes.

Once all of the meat and vegetables are in the pot, it is time to start adding everything else.  Start with the tomato sauce.  Then add the beer and chicken stock.  Hold off on adding the water for a little while.

Now add all of the dry ingredients.

Stir it all up and add water to get to a desired consistency.  If you like really thick chili, then you do not need to add any water at all.   Taste the chili at this point to determine if you need to adjust any of the spices. For example, I found the Turkish seasoning was not as strong as the regular chili powder that I use, so I added a another teaspoon or so of regular chili powder. Bring to a boil, and then turn the mixture way down to just a simmer.  Cover the pot and walk away for at least an hour.

When there is about an hour before you are going to eat, add the beans and stir them in.  You really do not need to cook them.  You are just warming them up.  Because the mixture was on a very low heat, I added the beans with an hour to go.

This is an optional thickening step:  place two tablespoons of cornstarch in a small bowl.  Add water to dissolve the corn starch.

Pour the cornstarch mixture into the chili and stir it in completely.  You will notice the color gets a little lighter with the addition of the corn starch.  Cook this for at least another 20 minutes.

Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Ladle the chili into a festive bowl, and dig in!  This chili tastes good with a beer to drink as well.

Serve with shredded cheese and Fritos (which I like to crush on top.)

Store leftover chili in the refrigerator.  This is a recipe which tastes as good the next day.

Enjoy!

 ---Tom

*Alternatively you can use a Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit which includes a packet of spices, a separate packet of cayenne so you can adjust the heat, and a packet of masa to use to thicken the chili instead of cornstarch.  I often do this. Been using this mix for years.