The Best Chili
This is THE best chili for chili season, in my not-so-humble opinion.
You’ll want to make this for a cozy winter night at home.
It’s chili season and I want to share what I think is THE best chili recipe. It’s hearty, flavorful and always topped with cheese.
The recipe starts with a pound of ground beef. Today I am using some homegrown ground beef. Oh, but you thought I was a dairy farmer? Did you know that the dairy industry contributes to 20% of the U.S. beef supply?
You see, as a cow gets older it is more difficult to get her pregnants. If a cow cannot get pregnant, she can’t make milk. A cow that doesn’t produce milk isn’t ideal when you are in the dairy business. When we have a cow we can no longer get pregnant, we stop trying to breed her and just let her live her life on our farm.
She continues to milk, eat, drink and do cow things. When her milk production reaches a certain low point, we sell her and she becomes ground beef. It’s not always easy to have to let a cow go, but I think it is pretty cool that the dairy cow can provide not only dairy for families, but also beef.
I have taken years to perfect the chili recipe. I want something that enhances the ground beef – and that my husband, kids and I will all enjoy. And this friends? This is it. Naturally, we make it extra dairy filled here and top it with shredded cheese and sour cream. If you want to add extra protein to it you can also top it with plain Greek yogurt and it will add that same level of creaminess you get from sour cream.
If you try the chili and love it, let me know! If you don’t love it, we’ll just keep that info to yourself.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb of ground beef
14.5 ounces of canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
15 oz black beans
15 oz kidney beans
8 oz tomato sauce
4 ounces of heavy beer
2 TBS chili powder
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS liquid smoke
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large pot, brown ground. Drain any fat.
Add in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes or until chili has reached the desired thickness.
Top with cheddar cheese or other favorite toppings.
