Mouthwater Chili – great way to celebrate New Year’s!
Happy New Year, Everyone!
I don’t know about you, but my weather has finally arrived! It’s cold and blustery and I love it. My northern Eurpean roots are saying, “finally”! Enough of the eternal summer that is Texas! I am enjoying staying warm by the fire, sipping lots of homemade Chai, taking hot baths and reading my beloved Outlander novels.
I love making Chili to mark the advent of winter. I have also served it at many a party to delightful guests who always say, “Oh, I was hoping you were making your chili again, yay”!!
I seek out the highest quality grass-fed beef I can find from my local farmers market always making sure my grass fed beef is grass finished as well so I am getting grass-fed throughout the entire process. Many grass-fed ranching operations finish their cattle on grains which is defeating the purpose of getting the high Omega 3 fats from grass-fed. It’s also important to source high quality chili powders. I stock up when I visit New Mexico farmers markets, Oaxaca, Mexico or order online from Mountain Rose Herbs. Many store bought chili powders contain MSG or silicon dioxide and other preservatives. Getting organic and knowing the source is important.
The key to this chili is a long slow simmering time after browning the meat and onions and adding a lot of spice. If you don’t simmer it long enough, the meat will be somewhat chewy. It also makes great leftovers as chili in quesadillas. I love the Siete Almond Flour or Coconut/Chia Tortillas for this purpose.
I prefer to make this in a big batch so I have it to eat on for days and then freeze the rest for when I get a hankering again in a month or so. Cook smarter, not harder.
Also, feel free to omit the beans if you enjoy a low carb eating style. I don’t eat many beans these days myself, but chili without beans just isn’t quite the same.
Please post your pictures and let us know how your chili turned out! You can find this recipe and more like it in my Winter Seasonal Menu Plan.
Happy Cooking!
Love, Amanda
- Grass-fed Beef Chili with Fixins’
- (Double batch recipe)
- 2 tablespoons lard, coconut oil, ghee or fat of choice
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 pounds grassfed beef, or highest quality beef
- available
- 3–5 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon–1 tablespoon chipotle powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon–1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons good salt or more to taste
- 2 (28-ounce) jar of diced tomatoes (I like Bionaturae)
- 56 ounces filtered water or 2 glass jars filled with water (from diced tomatoes)
- 4 cups pre-cooked black beans, pinto or red kidney beans or 2 cans bean of choice (I like
- Eden brand for canned beans) (optional)
- 1 tablespoon organic corn masa (optional) – this adds a nice texture and umami flavor
- Garnishes: Sour cream, grated sharp cheddar or jack cheese, chopped scallions, fried tortilla
- chips or strips, shredded cabbage
- Heat large, deep pot or Dutch oven with olive oil of choice over medium heat. I use my big red 9 quart Le Cruset for this.
- Add onions, garlic and ground meat. Cook for about 10–15 minutes or until all the meat is browned.
- Add spices and salt to browned meat and stir around for about 2 more minutes to open up spices.
- Add tomatoes and water. Stir and bring chili to gentle, slow simmer.
- Simmer for about 1½–2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so.
- In last 10 minutes of cooking, add beans and masa, if using, to thicken.
- Adjust for seasonings and add more spice or salt as desired.
- Serve with garnishes of choice.
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