We had snow here today in Texas. It was so exciting to watch the snowflakes fall all day long. The last time we had any substantial snow was about four years ago. After spending the day building snowmen, making angels, and throwing snowballs there’s nothing better than having a nice warm bowl of chili. This recipe is my own. I took snippets of several different recipes and made them into one along with adding some of my own ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 lbs of ground beef
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp smoked paprika ( this gives it a nice smoky flavor)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 (15 oz) cans of beans (I use black and pink/white beans), rinsed and drained
- 28 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
Directions
Heat a dutch oven pot on medium heat and add the avocado oil. After about a minute add the onions and green peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened, stirring often.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat from the pot.
Next, add the oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, bay leaf, and tomato paste. Stir until well combined and cook for about two minutes to let the spices become fragrant.
Add the beef broth, canned tomatoes and drained beans. Stir everything together really well and let it come to a low boil. Then, turn it down to a simmer for an hour or more if you can spare the time.
I let my chili cook for about two hours. It gives the meat time to breakdown and absorb all of the flavors of the spices. If you decide to cook your chili longer, too, just be sure to stir it occasionally.
Optional toppings that are fantastic are chopped avocado, sour cream, chopped raw onions, sliced jalapenos, shredded cheese and hot sauce. I prefer sour cream and shredded cheese on mine.
We also like to pour our chili over fresh white rice so I always make a pot of that, too.
Give this chili a try. It doesn’t have to be snowing or even cold to make it. It’s more of a comfort thing. 😉 I think you’ll really like it. Comment below and let me know.