It's starting to get that Autumn chill in the air so that means some good old fashion chili to warm ya up. There are many different variations, some "interesting" and some "oh heck no". Ha Ha
But we all different tastes any maybe different diets. So here are a few tips that you may or may not already know or do.
Beans:
Use canned red kidney beans but pinto beans or black beans work as well.
Rinse beans (unless using chili beans) before adding to remove excess salt and starches.
Chili beans add great flavor! What are chili beans? Usually either pinto or kidney beans with added flavors in a chili style sauce.
Brown the beef, onions, garlic and some of the chili powder.
Drain any fat.
Simmer Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered.
When making chili on the stove, you can simmer it uncovered which allows the chili to naturally thicken without having to add cornstarch or flour. While thickening chili by simmering is the best option, you may not always have time to let it reduce. If you don’t have time to simmer it to thicken you can sprinkle in a little bit of cornmeal or make a cornstarch or flour slurry and add it in. If you can spare a few extra minutes, just let it simmer uncovered.
Spice Level This chili is just right for our liking but you can increase or reduce the spice level to your liking. For extra heat, leave the seeds in your jalapenos or add a few dashes of hot sauce or a sprinkle of chili flakes.
Ground Beef Any ground meat will work in this recipe from chicken to turkey. If your meat has a lot of fat, be sure to drain it before simmering.
Beer I love the depth of flavor that a bit of beer adds. Feel free to skip the beer and use extra broth.
Swap the Spices Spice up your chili any way you’d like. To make a tex-mex chili, toss in a packet of taco seasoning.
Chili freezes and reheats beautifully. We freeze it in single sized portions for lunches or in freezer bags for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Defrost in the fridge overnight and heat in a saucepan (or the microwave) to serve.
So now, I guess I know what is on my next shopping list. Stop by and share some of your thoughts and maybe a recipe or two. Happy Cookin'