It’s thick and appropriately chunky, spicy and extremely flavorful without being hot, balanced just right between meat, beans, and vegetables, and excellently scoopable.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
half of an onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
4 carrots, minced (optional)
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3–4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 14-ounce cans beans, rinsed and drained (I like black beans and pinto beans)
2 cups beef or chicken broth (plus more to thin as needed)
toppings: avocado, cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, red onion, cilantro
Method* Mix salt with ground beef. Set aside so it can get nice and salty while you prep the other ingredients.
* In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, fry your bacon pieces until crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plates. Pour off most of the bacon fat, but leave 1-2 tablespoons for sauteeing.
* Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and carrots. Sauté until soft and fragrant.
* Add the ground beef and spices. Brown until fully cooked.
* Add the tomato paste. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
* Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and bacon. Bring to a low simmer. Cover it and let it hang out over low heat for at least 30-45 minutes, but ideally 2+ hours (this helps the flavors develop and this is why it’s Sunday chili). You can alternate between keeping it over a low flame and just letting it rest in the hot pot. It will thicken, so use extra water or broth to thin it out to desired consistency.
* BOOM! Top with all your favorite toppings. Make plans to revisit this again next Sunday.