National Chili Day is this coming Saturday – February 27!
I asked Tim Bednarski, owner of Elwood's Shack, to give us some tips on how to make an awesome bowl of chili.
What type of beef is best? “The fat content is important. If it’s too lean you won’t get the same flavor profile on the finished product.” Tim recommends using an 80/20 blend.
Do you drain off the fat? “After the product is finished, we do drain off the majority of the fat. We don’t want a greasy product.” Be sure to leave a couple of tablespoons of fat though as it helps add flavor to your chili.
When do you add the spices? “It’s real important after you brown the ground beef to add your seasonings and actually cook them and toast them a little bit so that they will release their natural aromatic flavors.”
What spices are best? Chili powder, cumin, and oregano are three seasonings synonymous with chili … but consider experimenting with different flavors like Tim does. “One of the hidden flavors you will notice in our chili is curry. We use two different curry powders in our chili.”
Beans or no beans? “ Definitely no beans. Beans don’t belong in chili, I’m from Texas and that just wouldn’t be right.” The beans or no-beans debate is one that is highly contested. If you like them in your chili … then I say, go for it! Just don’t tell Tim!
Last but not least … toppings. “For me, the perfect topping … that we use here on our chili at Elwood’s … is sharp cheddar cheese, red onions, and sour cream.”
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit!
Jennifer’s Chili
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion (1 small onion)
- 1/2 cup seeded and finely diced green bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 dash paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) whole tomatoes with juice
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until a few droplets of water sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the pot. Add the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, paprika, and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
Add the whole tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon or fork. Add the tomato paste, sugar, and water. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Discard the bay leaf. Serve hot.
Serves 6.
Cooking Tip: If you like beans in your chili, add a drained can (15-ounce) of red kidney beans while the chili is simmering.
Freezes well.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler.
