On a cold day there is nothing better than a hot bowl of chili. Over the years I have tried quite a few different chili recipes and finally ended up making up my own. Here is the recipe we have been eating for years – with a little twist now that I have a pellet smoker. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It was a real hit at CJ’s Kitchen.
Southwest Chili
3 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
3 cans Kidney Beans – drained and rinsed
1 Large Onion – diced
2 cloves Garlic – minced
1 or 2 Serrano Peppers – seeded and minced
2 T Olive Oil
6 cups Plum Tomatoes – crushed
4 small cans Tomato Sauce (Chili Ready)
2 small cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes – diced
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 1/2 T Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Sweet Paprika
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
To add a bit more flavor, I cook my meat in a shallow disposable foil pan on my smoker. Break up the meat into smaller pieces and stir every once in a while until cooked through. (However – in the middle of the winter I just cook it in a frypan on the stove) Drain.
In a large stock pot, cook onions in the olive oil until clear. Add the minced pepper and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes then add everything else. Simmer for 2 hours – stirring every once in a while.
Serve any way you like. With corn chips and cheese is our favorite. Or with a yummy sweet cornbread.
