My Mom’s Chili
“My mom always made this chili when I would come home from college and now it's the meal she has ready when I visit from out of state. It reminds me of home and catching up on life around the dinner table.”
Sarah Falchuk
Associate Director, Market Research / Branding
Philadelphia
What pairs best with this recipe?
Cold weather, comfy clothes, and loved ones (this recipe makes a lot).
What were some of your 2024 obsessions?
“Normal Gossip”, “Only Murders in the Building”, and Wolves of Glendale.
*This recipe is apparently named "Bill's Oven Chili" but my mom has no idea who Bill was or where she originally got this recipe, so take that for what you will. This chili is on the sweeter side, easy to improvise, super comforting, and even better the next day.
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds ground beef
Two 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes
One 15 oz can of baked beans (whichever brand you prefer)
One 15 oz can of black beans, drained (whichever brand you prefer)
6 oz can of tomato paste
2 tablespoons cooking oil of your preference
One diced onion (can be subbed with onion powder if needed)
Quarter cup brown sugar (can be swapped for 2 tablespoons of honey or molasses)
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
Optional Ingredients:
Quarter pound of cubed steak, coated with a little flour (optional but adds extra body)
Directions:
Add oil once or twice around a large pot or dutch oven and set to medium heat on the stove.
Add the ground beef and cook until close to done. If you're going for the optional cubed steak, add that now and brown them slightly.
Add the diced onion and let them brown, followed by the can of diced tomatoes and the can of baked beans. Stir.
Stir in the spices. You can measure with your heart or the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of chili powder and 1 tablespoon of the rest (aside from the cinnamon, just do a dash).
Stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
Cover and set to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The chili should thicken up a bit over that time, but if not then add a little more tomato paste.
After an hour, stir in the brown sugar (or other sweetening ingredient).
Taste and add more spices as needed (measure with your heart).
Simmer until it has the consistency and taste you want.
Optional: Transfer to the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Enjoy immediately (but especially the next day) with a dollop of sour cream (or greek yogurt) and a slice of warm cornbread.
