Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 can diced tomato
2 cans tomato paste
1 can chipotle in adobo sauce
2 cans of corn
3 onions
3 green jalapenos
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
2 yellow bell peppers
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp and 1 tsp of chili powder
1 tsp salt
As the semester continues to get busier and the weather continues to get colder, I want something warm and easy to grab. This chili recipe takes a little while to make, but once it’s made it can be portioned and put in the freezer for a quick and easy hot dish.
First, preheat the oven to 450 F. Take a casserole dish and put in the ground beef, then add 1 tsp of chili powder and 1 tsp of salt, sprinkling the seasoning evenly across the meat. On the bottom of the casserole dish, press the meat flat and even. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Take the meat out of the oven and skim as much fat out of the pan as you can, then broil in the oven for 5 minutes.
Dice the onions, bell peppers, and green jalapenos into about 1-cm chunks. Drain the adobo sauce from 1 can of chipotles into a dish, to be used later to your spice preference. Chop the chipotles to the same size as the rest of the vegetables.
In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Transfer your diced onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos to the pot, adding the drained can of corn. Cook until the onions start to become translucent. Using a spatula, break the ground beef up into large chunks and add it to the pot with the vegetables, stirring thoroughly.
Add the can of diced tomatoes to the pot and mix thoroughly. Let everything simmer for a few minutes. Add the 2 cans of tomato paste, stirring thoroughly between each addition. Put in 1 tbsp of chili powder and let simmer for a minute. Finally, add in the chipotles, then turn the temperature down to low. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes, making sure to mix the chili every 10 minutes.
Make sure to taste test your chili; add 1/2 tsp of salt if needed. If you like your chili spicier, add the adobo sauce 1 tsp at a time until you reach your preference.
This recipe can be eaten right away on top of rice or roasted potatoes, with cheese on top; however, as I mentioned before, you can also portion and freeze the chili for up to three months. To store the chili, let it cool completely and pour it into large plastic bags. Shimmy it flat and seal, then place in the freezer. When you take it out, thaw the frozen chili by placing the bag in the sink with hot water. When you can easily press and pinch the chili in all parts of the bag, transfer the chili into a pot. Heat the chili on medium-high until it starts to simmer.
Remove from the heat and it’s ready to eat.