Chili

Equipment

• Big Dutch oven with lid

• Large saute pan with high sides and lid

• Rubber spatula 

• Chef’s knife and cutting board 

Ingredients

• 1 can tomato paste

• 2 cans diced tomatoes (including can juice)

• Chicken stock (homemade if possible)

• 1 pound 85/15 ground beef

• 2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained) 

• 1 can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

• 1 can white beans (rinsed and drained)

• 1 package frozen corn

• 1 each yellow/red/orange/green bell pepper (diced fine)

• 1 white onion (diced fine)

• 5 cloves garlic (diced fine)

• 3 carrots (peeled and diced fine)

• 2 zucchini and/or summer squash

• Spices:

  • 4 tbsp Chili powder

  • 2 tbsp Cumin

  • 2 tbsp Paprika

  • 3 tbsp Garlic Powder

  • 3 tbsp Onion Powder

  • 3 tbsp oregano

  • 2 twists fresh pepper

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 teaspoons MSG

Method

• In the big dutch oven, brown beef, turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a rubber spatula as it cooks. Add oil if it looks dry, but the beef should provide the cooking fat here. 

• Add tomato paste and cook until brown - if bits burn and stick to the bottom of the dutch oven, deglaze with chicken stock (pour a little in and use a rubber spatula to get it off the bottom. Don’t let too much burn, but a little is okay. Those extra brown bits make flavor! 

• Add canned tomatoes, beans and corn, then turn heat to low and cover

• In the sautee pan, combine the carrot, zucchini/squash, bell pepper

• Add chicken stock to cover

• Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables soften and chicken stock evaporates. If it gets dry, add chicken stock. Don’t let it burn! 

• Add vegetable mixture to dutch oven

• Cook on low for at least two hours - four is better

• Every 30 minutes or so, stir and tasted the chili

• If it starts looking too dry, add more chicken broth

• Serve with rosemary-cheddar bread and hot sauce