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As soon as fall approaches, football season arrives and we turn the furnace on, I start thinking about soup. Hearty soups that you can serve with some homemade bread and enjoy on a cold, wintry day. I'm happy to announce we don't have any snow on the ground yet, but it feels like it's just around the corner. So, soup for dinner it is. This thick and hearty chili can be served with noodles or without. I prefer it with, my husband prefers it without. When I make it, I just make the noodles separate and add them as I need them. I think chili also freezes much better sans noodles.
This recipe is a family favorite and one that uses some ingredients that may surprise you. After much experimentation, I felt like I finally perfected the recipe and what I'm sharing with you today is the one I make year after year after year.
For the ingredients, check out the full recipe after the tutorial. Enjoy!
Thick & Hearty Chili
Ingredients
- 1 14.5 ounce can Hunt's diced tomatoes
- 2 6 ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1 onion (chopped)
- ¾ cup chardonnay wine
- 2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅔ cup Heinz 57 steak sauce
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 1.25 ounce package chili seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 15 ounce can of kidney beans (drained)
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Brown sugar to taste
- Chili powder to taste
- Elbow spaghetti (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, pepper flakes, and steak sauce.
- While the tomato mixture is simmering, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper toweling.
- Cook beef and onion in bacon drippings until browned; drain. Stir chili seasoning into ground beef.
- Stir seasoned beef, cumin, and bacon into the tomato mixture. Sprinkle in some chili powder and brown sugar to taste.
- Stir in beans, cilantro, and parsley. Heat through and serve.
- *If soup is too thick, add some water
Notes
- Layered Flavors: Build depth of flavor by incorporating various ingredients and seasonings at different stages of cooking. For example, adding the chili seasoning mix to the ground beef while it's browning allows the spices to infuse into the meat, enhancing its flavor. Incorporating fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley at the end adds brightness and freshness to the chili.
- Bacon Flavor Enhancement: Utilize bacon as a flavor enhancer by cooking it until crisp and then using the rendered bacon fat to cook the ground beef and onion. This adds a rich smokiness and depth of flavor to the chili. Crumble the cooked bacon and stir it into the chili for an extra burst of flavor and texture.
- Adjusting Thickness: Customize the thickness of the chili to your preference by adding water if needed. If the chili is too thick, simply add water gradually until it reaches the desired consistency. Be mindful not to dilute the flavors too much when adjusting the thickness. Alternatively, simmer the chili uncovered for longer to allow excess moisture to evaporate and thicken naturally.
Lisa @ Pebbles & Piggytails
Thanks for sharing this at Saturday Dishes!! I am going to feature this at this weekend's link party. Such a great tutorial.
Sara
That's great news, Lisa! Thank you!
jane
Would u please let me know how many does this serve? thank u... jane
Sara
Hi Jane, you could serve 6-8 with this recipe!
Sara
Leah, this is truly our favorite and I hope you enjoy it too! Thanks for stopping by!
Leah Harvath
I love chili and this one looks delish. Will be trying this soon.