Thank you Jen. Thank you for all your great recipes !! I couldn’t help but noticed that your recipe has Baking Soda. I only have a question. I’d probably just thin it out with a little extra beef broth. Thank you in advance. Hi Marsha, you can reduce the beef, but you definitely don’t have to. Had company for Super bowl and this was FABULOUS! Hi Christi, Yes, you can substitute regular chili powder for the ancho chili powder. Super yummy! That said it is after all a preference for taste and texture. It has spicy heat but not for long. I like to call this my Saturday chili. I’ve served it over spaghetti with shredded cheddar, with toasted cornbread, and by itself in a bowl. Thank you só much for this lovely recipe!! Jenn, I am a big fan of your recipes! Your comment may need to be approved before it will appear on the site. It won’t have much heat with that, so if you’d like some feel free to add a pinch or two of cayenne. Onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes slowly thicken the chili until it is almost creamy. This chili keeps for about a week, covered, in the refrigerator and up to 3 months when frozen. It is quite spicy, but pleasantly so, and it’s hard to stop eating it because it’s so flavorful. I currently am lacking a pot that is big enough but would love to try out your recipe. of cubed beef in place of 1 lb. Also, have the onion, red pepper and garlic all sliced up and ready to add. Hi Bianca, you can leave it out — I’d just add another teaspoon or two of sugar, to taste. Thank you so much! on Amazon. I followed the recipe exactly and the baking soda made it taste bitter. I made this last night. Wife commented on the texture within first few bites. I added a can of beans as other reviewers had suggested. Hi Glen, Baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and accelerate browning. However, if I’ve got a couple extra minutes and want to take the chili game to the next level, I like to ditch the dried spices (mine are too often not fresh enough anyway!) Thank u, love all your receipts so far. I assume the combination of the cornmeal, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and molasses all contribute to the number. Thank you!! So glad you like the recipe! After I tasted this chill, I immediately ripped up my previous recipe and put this in its place. Adding the beans also stretches the servings to 8. When the chili is almost ready, add a slurry of 1 to 2 tablespoons masa, or corn starch, mixed with enough water to keep it loose and mix it into your chili. We use to make chili out of canned ingredients, but found too much sodium. Can in use canned chipotle in adobo and make my own ancho chili sauce to add to the mixture? Hi Caroline, Glad you like the website. I don’t have ancho and chipotle chili pepper. I didn’t find the recipe to be sweet, just flavourful with a lovely woody undertone. Paired with some cornbread, this will be making a constant appearance throughout winter. In general, I go for a balance of flavors with recipes like this. I made this for Super Bowl last night and it was fantastic! Add ancho mixture and chipotle; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes Or is pork different enough that it wouldn’t work? This was absolutely delicious! I’ve made this chili many times but with all recipes, I have to follow them exactly or else they don’t turn out right. I have not made this yet but would all of the ingredients (including double the beef) fit into my pot if I were to double the recipe? I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it! Enjoy! It comes on somewhat sweet initially, but then the overall blend of spices and flavors come in followed by some nice heat. It is fun to experiment with regionally defined dishes. IF SO, WOULD THE AMOUNTS BE THE SAME? Definitely a keeper. To thicken the chili, continue simmering, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached. OK to leave out the ancho and chipotle entirely, and just stick with the other spices? Serve with accompaniments and enjoy! Ground chuck (made from chuck roast trimmings) contains the most fat, typically 80 percent meat to 20 percent fat, so it cooks up juicy and rich. I didn’t have chipotle chili powder the last time, but I had the canned chipoltles so I chopped two or three and added with other spices. I didn’t have any bell peppers on hand so to add a little of that pizazz that usually bell peppers give to dishes I added a little bit of tomato paste and a good spoonful of paprika to the pot…It was lip smacking, plate licking, second and third helpings worthy De-li-ci-ous!! It was the perfect consistency to spoon over the jumbo Kosher hot dogs which I served in brioche hot dog buns with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped onions. My wife and I were on Maryland’s Eastern shore several years ago and were introduced to Brown Sugar Chili in a very popular restaurant. Thank you for trustworthy and tasty recipes! My kids like some spice and they said it was tasty. I’ve tried the recipe yesterday and can highly recommend it! Hi Mary, The amount is in the instructions (1 tablespoon) – I know it’s a little confusing but typically when water is used in a recipe, it is not listed in the ingredients. Just before the ground beef is browned, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of minced garlic; saute for a few more minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. It was perfect – not too spicy nor bland, we enjoyed the simplicity and the house smelled so good while it simmered. For us the cinnamon was probably the problem, but I won’t try again. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until well combined and fragrant. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it! Hi Valerie, I think that would be fine. If so, How much woyld you recommend adding? I’m baffled and re-checked the recipe to see if there was something I had missed – tried adding salt, then cayenne… then gave up. Yum!! I think next time however I’m going to drain the fat first and then cook it. I usually have Grandma’s molasses in my pantry but not today. Adding the baking soda to the ground beef made a BIG difference! Once again a great recipe Jenn. I could only get nonspecific chili powder available at the supermarket, but it worked out great. Great, great chili recipe. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. Learn how your comment data is processed. This recipe makes a whopping sixteen cups. It came out greasy for me. With a recipe from you. My fourth time for making your chili. Can I substitute beer for the beef broth? I alos added kidney beans, which was a no brainer. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes and you’re set. It’s delicious! Just tried this recipe and it was a hit with kids and adults. (BTW, I used 80/20 ground beef because our grocery store only sells 90/10 or 80/20, and I thought the higher fat option would work better.) I made this chili tonight. One more layer of goodness. My family likes beans so for the last 1/2 hour of cooking I add pinto, red, and/or black beans. I am from a Texas somInhave both eaten and made lots of chilli all my life. Made Fritos Pie with it and added pickled jalapeños for extra kick. With all of the other ingredients, this chili was total touchdown! For chili, use less expensive cuts of beef that are best cooked through. I take the beans and donate them to the local shelter. What can I substitute? It has a good flavor, However, I recommend draining the fat from the meat prior to cooking. Also a side of pasta, cheese and onions gets along nicely with it too. It will still be delish. thanks again. It was the best I have ever made at home. My husband likes this the best. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. I have been cooking for my husband for over 40 years (along with 4 kids) so I’ve made chili many times. I made this recipe precisely as directed, using brand-new bulk spices from Central Market (a local gourmet grocery). This was the first recipe of yours that I found the need to amend… We thought it was very bland, even though we are not fans of really “hot” spices. Hi Darlene, My family prefers it without beans but feel free to add a can of drained beans for the last half hour of cooking. I did add two kinds of beans at the end, used chili powder but not specific types listed. Also, can this be made in a crock pot after initially browning, etc? This is now my go to chili recipe it is awesome. I will be making this chilli again very soon and will not be making any substitutions or changes. If you don’t have ground ancho and/or chipotle powder, you can use 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoons of chili powder. If i would like to add beans to this – what beans would you recommend? Using your hands, mix until evenly combined. I’ll definitely be making this again! I’ve tried many different recipes and they never seem to have enough flavor. It really is the best slow cooker chili recipe ever! A BIG Thank you for sharing this recipe . The differences usually reside in the quantities used, how the dish is cooked, and for how long. A great recipe to use up your spices. Finally! Most did not stop at one bowl. This has been simmering on my stove for about three hours and I love the deep, developed flavors. Stir in the bell peppers. Hi, Mark! By the way, this was my first chili attempt! Hi, If this is for Super Bowl, I’m guessing that there will be plenty of other food, so I don’t think it’s necessary to double the beef. You really can choose your favorite beans for this, but I would typically go with kidney beans as you suggested. Don’t be tempted to use extra-lean beef or drain off the fat after browning. I think it should be fine, Toria. Hi Neelie, Chipotle chili powder is primarily what adds the heat to this. You are correct, this recipe makes no mention of draining the fat, as well as the addition of masa to thicken it a bit. Hi Lilian, A leaner beef or buffalo will work; the meat just won’t be quite as tender. Thank you for your recipes and I love your cookbook! Also as a thickening agent, can cornmeal be used on other recipes instead of flour or cornstarch. This was my first time making from scratch. Ground beef: Buy a good quality freshly ground beef … I loved the idea of putting the peppers, onions, and garlic in the food processor because my kids usually pick out onions and peppers. Great recipe Jenn. Hi there. I really liked the idea of using the food processor to mince the veggies. This ground beef chili is melt-in-your-mouth tender, thick, and rich — and wonderful over rice or scooped up with tortilla chips. A little spicier than I like but received compliments from my guests. Thanks for awesome recipes! Thank you Marci kalinin. Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce - the base for the chili … This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Would arrowroot or gluten free breadcrumbs work? Can I substitute something for the cornmeal, or would it be okay to leave it out? Thanks so much!! It has just the right amount of heat for my family’s tastes. Delicious!! I am wheat/corn intolerant so I had to omit the corn meal and use arrowroot. I cooked the vegetables & the beef, added the spice mix and cooked that as in the recipe. After pre-soaking the beans, would you cook them together with the rest of the chili, or would you pre-cook them? Hi John, Great question. Definitely a recipe to keep! Great recipe to add too ~~ we like kidney beans and canned mushrooms in our chili–but other than that addition followed the recipe to a T . Also can I omit the onions? Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Had this for dinner tonight. Hi Jenn, What’s the purpose of the cornmeal? This sounds delicious, but I don’t have any beef broth. I followed the recipe with all of it’s ingredients from sugar and spices to cornmeal and molasses … tasting all the way. Ground Beef Chili: An Easy Stovetop Meal. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Always impressed with Jen’s recipes because any home cook can pick them up and make a wonderful fresh cooked meal. This really is the best ground beef chili I have ever had. Thank you so much. I like beans, but I thought they distracted a bit from the sweet, slightly complex taste of the beef/spice/tomato combination — so what I will do the next time is to warm up some beans and put them on the side. It’s rare I’m not super enthused by Your recipes. I added more chili powder and cumin and still not spicy enough. Hi Naz, you can definitely add beans here during the last 30 minutes of cooking. I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally. Oh, and I also added beans. If you aren’t able to find it, you could just use regular chili powder, or even canned chipotle peppers in adobo. It expanded and the lid popped off in the freezer. IT IS THE BEST! When I plugged in the ingredients for this recipe, those were the results. Hi M, ancho chili powder has slightly more heat than regular chili powder. This herb/spice combo is the bomb – delicious! It will still be good, but keep in mind that it will alter the taste of the chili a bit. Kidney beans? My house smelled great all day! 2, Added 1 finely chopped jalapeño pepper that I needed to use up! I used natural release for 10 minutes. Is there a substitute for tomato paste? I reduced the chipotle chili power to about 1/2 Tbsp and it was still a little too spicy for me so I added a half-drained can of black beans, and simmered for about 30 mins. If my husband and I were not already married, he would marry me after I made him this chili =) After one bite he appeared to be in chili heaven and said “this is a keeper”, after a few more bites “definitely make this again” and, after eating it the past two nights for dinner, today he says “I can’t wait until you make that chili again”. No kidney beans???? I will make this again and again, it was a huge hit with my family! I substituted a few chipotle peppers and adobe sauce for the chipotle chili powder and a few tablespoons of brown sugar for the molasses. Made your chili today. Yes, that’s the ticket! I was astonished at what a difference it made to tenderize the meat beforehand: the texture was silky smooth. And you can add them toward the end of the chili’s cooking time just so they can get heated through. I didn’t have any cumin so I substituted chili powder. My family all agreed this was the best chili they had ever tasted. 100% using this recipe again and again. The ancho chili powder is not quite as spicy, but if your 2-year-old is very sensitive to heat, you may want to either cut back or eliminate those spices. Sometimes with a recipe and sometimes not. Add the garlic and … When I made it again, he said the same thing. I imagine if you’d want to add beans to it, it would still be good. Enjoy! Delicious. Also, Jenn mentioned two different chili ingredients that I couldn’t find so I used regular chili. Too much sodium is unhealthy. Either should be fine here, Vee. You could probably get away with omitting the cornmeal, although it helps to thicken the chili. I would only use this tenderizing technique for dishes similar to chili, like tacos, sloppy joes, etc. Lighter than my own Texas style red, but not too light. I followed the recipe except for the two chili powders. It has a great flavour, quite different than any other Chili we’ve had. Did you know you can save this recipe and order the ingredients for. It was so so good….I am still thinking about it!!