Easy Chili

A big pot of chili is always a crowd pleaser and Jim Boland makes great chili. He was kind enough to share his recipe with me and I've been using his chili ratio for years now. My favorite thing about his recipe is that you can make it exactly as stated and it makes a great pot of chili. But it also is flexible and allows for the addition of other flavors and textures.

Starter Ratios:

• 2lbs meat (ground beef or turkey)

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz)

• 1 can tomato sauce

• 1-2 cans kidney beans, mostly drained (I usually do about 2)

• 2 T Chili Powder

• 1 T Cumin

From there, you can add whatever you want. Typically I add:

• 2 TB Molasses

• 0.5-1 can Rotel Tomatoes

• 1 TB Brown Sugar

• 2 TB Worcestershire

• 2-3 cloves minced garlic

• A few sprinkles of cayenne pepper

• A squirt of dijon mustard or fish sauce if it still feels like it needs something

Instructions:

1. Brown meat and drain fat.

2. Add diced onion and cook for a few minutes until soft. Add garlic for the last minute.

3. Add everything else

4. Simmer for 20 minutes, adjust seasoning to taste.

We usually serve with cornbread and topping options (green onion, sour cream, shredded cheese, oyster crackers) Notes: I usually use some variety of flavored tomatoes (fire roasted, with celery and green pepper, garlic, etc). It really doesn’t matter. If it’s too thick, add half a cup beef broth at a time until it reaches desired consistency. If you don't want any heat, don't add the Rotel or cayenne. We tend to serve just the chili, but the Boland’s usually have it served over elbow macaroni which is really tasty too.

A post by Amy Martin with recipe contribution from Jim Boland