Southern Chili is a big pot of ground beef chili with red onion, green and red bell peppers, celery and garlic, two kinds of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, a can of beer, and kidney and pinto beans, seasoned with chili powder, cumin, oregano and a little cayenne. It simmers covered for about 2 hours and serves 8.
How to make it: Soften the onion, peppers, celery and garlic in olive oil. Brown the beef to 160°F, then cook the spices and stir in the tomato paste. Add the tomatoes, beer and beans, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low for a good 2 hours, stirring now and then. Top with cheddar, sour cream and green onions.
Why You’ll Love It
- Deep flavor: browned beef, toasted spices and tomato paste build the base.
- Beer instead of broth: the tomato juices and a can of beer are the only liquid.
- Two kinds of beans: kidney and pinto.
- Better the next day: the flavors keep coming together as it sits.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef: One and a half pounds.
Vegetables: A large red onion, a medium green bell pepper and a medium red bell pepper, 2 stalks of celery and 5 cloves of garlic.
Spices: A quarter cup of chili powder, a tablespoon each of ground cumin and dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Tomatoes: A 6-ounce can of tomato paste, a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes and a 14 1/2-ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, both with their juices.
Beer: One 12-ounce can.
Beans: Two 15-ounce cans of kidney beans and one 15-ounce can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed.
Toppings: Shredded cheddar, sour cream and chopped green onions.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 2 medium bell peppers (1 green, 1 red), diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with the juices
- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes, with the juices
- 1 can (12 ounces) beer
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving (optional)
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
- Chopped green onions, for serving (optional)
How to Make Southern Chili
1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, bell peppers and celery and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
2. Brown the beef. Stir in the ground beef, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, with no pink left and the meat at 160°F on a food thermometer.
3. Cook the spices and tomato paste. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne and sauté for about 2 minutes more. Stir the tomato paste into the beef; this intensifies the flavor.
4. Add the tomatoes, beer and beans. Add both cans of diced tomatoes with their juices, the beer and all the beans, stirring to combine.
5. Simmer covered. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover with the lid and cook on medium-low for a good 2 hours, stirring on occasion to keep the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6. Serve. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions.
How Long Should Chili Simmer, and How Thick Should It Be?
Simmer times vary a lot from pot to pot, and the time you choose sets the thickness:
| Simmer | Result |
|---|---|
| About 15 minutes, uncovered | Soupier chili |
| 25 to 30 minutes, uncovered | Thick chili |
| 1 1/2 hours, covered | Deeper flavor, tender beef |
| A good 2 hours, covered (this recipe) | Rich and well blended |
Too thin? Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste, or a slurry of equal parts cornstarch and liquid.
Too thick? Add water a 1/4 cup at a time.
Stir, but gently. An occasional stir keeps it from sticking; stirring too hard breaks up the beans.
Brown first. Browning the meat and vegetables before the liquid goes in, and cooking the spices for a couple of minutes, builds the flavor.
Use a thermometer. USDA FSIS says ground beef is done at 160°F.
How to Make a Good Southern Chili
Brown the meat and vegetables first, toast the spices for about 2 minutes, stir the tomato paste into the beef, then give it a long, covered simmer, stirring now and then. Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end. The longer the flavors come together, the better it gets.
Variations
- Ground turkey or chicken: use it in place of beef and cook it to 165°F.
- Sausage: brown hot sausage with part of the beef.
- More heat: add a jalapeño, red pepper flakes or a can of mild green chiles, or pass hot sauce at the table.
- A touch of sweetness: stir in a teaspoon of brown sugar or honey.
- Different beans: small red beans or black beans.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Divide the chili into shallow covered containers so it cools quickly and refrigerate it within 2 hours. USDA FSIS says to eat it within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator, or reheat straight from frozen in a saucepan.
Reheat: Reheat covered until the chili comes to a rolling boil. Add a splash of stock or water if it’s too thick. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker. The flavors keep coming together, so leftovers are even better.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with Southern cornmeal hoecakes or butter biscuits. Turn leftovers into Frito pie. More hearty bowls: Wendy’s chili, cowboy stew and Crock Pot ham and beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a good Southern chili?
Brown the beef and vegetables, toast the spices, stir in the tomato paste, then simmer it covered for about 2 hours.
What is the secret to the best chili?
There’s no single trick, but browning first, cooking the spices and a long simmer all add flavor.
How long should chili simmer?
This one simmers a good 2 hours covered. A quick 15 to 30 minute simmer works, but the chili will be thinner and less developed.
How do I thicken chili?
Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste or a little cornstarch slurry, or simmer it uncovered longer.
Can I freeze chili?
Yes. Freeze it for 3 to 4 months and thaw it in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Chop the vegetables and open the cans before you start, then let the pot do its thing for a couple of hours. If you make it, tell me in the comments which toppings you used.
Southern Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion large, diced
- 2 bell peppers medium, green and red, diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can tomato paste 6-ounce can
- 1 can diced tomatoes 28-ounce can, with the juices
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes 14 1/2-ounce can, with the juices
- 1 can beer 12-ounce can
- 2 cans kidney beans 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can pinto beans 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
- shredded cheddar cheese for serving, optional
- sour cream for serving, optional
- green onions chopped, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, bell peppers and celery and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the ground beef, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, with no pink left and the meat at 160°F on a food thermometer.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne and sauté for about 2 minutes more. Stir the tomato paste into the beef; this intensifies the flavor.
- Add both cans of diced tomatoes with their juices, the beer and all the beans, stirring to combine.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover with the lid and cook on medium-low for a good 2 hours, stirring on occasion to keep the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions.
