Darn Good Chili Recipe
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Your search for a truly excellent chili recipe ends here! The perfect blend of superbly robust flavors makes this chili a slam-dunk winner!
It’s hard to find good chili. And that’s an understatement. I can’t tell you how many potlucks and church socials I’ve been to where, sample after sample, I’ve come away anywhere from unsatisfied to honest-to-goodness grossed out. Can you relate? Too sweet, too spicy (like, hot as hades spicy, like, holding a torch to your mouth spicy), too soupy, too “dry”, waaaaay too much cinnamon (honestly, it’s chili, folks- not cinnabons), too “out of the can” tasting, too greasy, too hard (as in undercooked beans), too mushy (as in refried bean chili), too…you get the point. So anymore on these occasions I just make it a habit to nonchalantly skip past the chili pots and move on to something else.
Chili. Few things are more tummy-warming than a good bowl of chili served up with a good piece of cornbread. I’m going to share my versions of both with you and I’m confident you’ll agree that they’re both delicious. Now you can bring a pot of chili along to the next potluck and you’ll have a hit on your hands. And if I happen to show up at the same function, I won’t have to skip past that chili pot!
And don’t forget to serve this with some darn good Cornbread Muffins!
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Darn Good Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion , diced
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers , seeded and chopped
- 16 ounces bag of dried kidney beans , soaked overnight
- 28 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 28 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes
- 10.75 ounce can Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup , do not add water
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons masa harina
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese , shredded
- Chili Seasoning Mix:
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- best homemade chili powder (highly recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper , or cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon base
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- cayenne pepper , according to desired heat level
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and brown the ground beef, adding the onions and jalapeno peppers while the beef is still a little pink. Cook until the onions are tender and transparent. Combine the chili seasoning mix and add it to the ground beef and onions. Stir to combine.Add the remaining ingredients (except for the sour cream and cheddar cheese), bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender, or about one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent bottom from burning. Add more chili powder and salt to taste.Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded Cheddar cheese along with some cornbread muffins.
Nutrition
Originally published on Daring Gourmet January 8, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
What was your thought process behind the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato soup? I was wondering since you always have a good reason. ;) But had to ask because when you cook diced tomatoes that long, they almost become tomato sauce, and when you look at the ingredients for the tomato soup, it’s just tomato sauce plus the spices that are already listed in this chili recipe.
Hi Bronze, the diced tomatoes do break down, but not completely. I don’t like big chunks of tomatoes in chili but I like some small pieces. That said, I’ve made this a number of times without the diced tomatoes because I didn’t have any on hand and just used extra tomato sauce, and the flavor of course is identical. The soup: it tastes different than if you were to simmer tomato sauce with the spices called for. I’ve made this with and without the soup and I think the flavor really is better with the soup. I’m sure it’s the crappy flavor enhancers that are in it, lol. As noted in the post, this is the one recipe out of around a thousand on my otherwise from-scratch site that uses a junky pre-prepared product (it also happens to be either the very first or second recipe I ever published on here back in January 2013). And you can certainly substitute more tomato sauce in its place if you prefer.
Everyone really enjoyed the chili this evening, and asked for the recipe.
Thank you, Sandra, I’m so glad it was a hit!
This was the best chili I have made. Was little spicy but the family loved it. I added crushed taco shell on top with the cheese and sour cream.
Fantastic, April, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it – thank you!
At last, a chili that is not “bean soup”. Rather than ground beef, I cut a large sirloin steak into 1/2″ cubes.
This chili is absolutely yummy! I made it with lamb mince and I love it. Your recipes are really flavourful and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing this one.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Rannah, and really appreciate your feedback! Best, Kimberly
What size cans of tomato sauce, the little 8 oz. ones or the 14 oz.?
Thanks for pointing that out – 14 oz cans. I’ve also added another addition: a couple of tablespoons of masa harina. It adds a delicious flavor dimension to the chili.