Like any good Polack, my earliest food memories include my mother’s chili. No, seriously. Hers used French’s Chili-O mix, a good, but often salty, product that does shave time and complexity from making a pot of classic chili. By “classic,” I certainly don’t mean “real” chili, which would be that proprietary Texan concoction of beef chunks and hot chili peppers. And no beans. Ever. You’ll be chased back north through the panhandle if you attempt to serve a Texan beans in his chili. Be warned.
“Classic” chili, on the other hand, is in that family of foods that includes American goulash, Yankee chop suey and any pizza sold outside of Italy. These are recipes that make little or no attempt to match or mimic their worthy ancestors. Instead, they have evolved using easy-to-find local ingredients and American techniques into completely new, but often wonderful, dishes.
This recipe takes cues from several types of chili, but in no way resembles its Texan granddaddy. Or its Cincinnati, Detroit Coney or LA Hot Dog variants. No, this is what you might find at a good bar anywhere north of Texas, hearty and nicely spicy, but not painfully hot. And, it has beans. A lot of beans. I like beans. Most people who eat chili like beans. If you’re from Texas, I guess you could simply leave them out, but they’re an essential part of this recipe.
Like all good recipes, this one has evolved over time, and it suits my tastes. Yours may vary, and the notes at the bottom of the recipe will help you to tailor the flavors to your personal preferences. I have listed suggested garnishes, but my preference has always been just a handful of crushed saltine crackers. Hey, I’m a Polack.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced crosswise
1 large onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, coarsely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pounds ground chuck
1 tablespoon flour or masa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (or more, if you like some heat) good chili powder (see Note 1)
1 teaspoon paprika (see Note 2)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano (see Note 3)
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 bottle dark beer, 12 ounces (see Note 4)
1 small can (4-5 ounce) diced green chilis (see Note 5)
1 can (14.5 ounces) plain diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans
1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans
Method
In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the celery, onion and bell pepper in the oil over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables are just softened and semi-opaque, about 8 minutes. Add the ground beef and continue to saute until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add flour (or masa) and cook a minute or two until the flour and pan fat have begun to form a paste (roux).
Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, chili powder, paprika, black pepper and oregano, stir, and saute an additional 2 minutes until spices and garlic begin to “bloom” and become fragrant.
Add the beer, diced green chilis, sugar and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add a bit of water if it seems too thick. Don’t allow ingredients to burn. Once pot is boiling, reduce heat to low and add the beans. Simmer, partially covered for at least an hour. The longer you simmer it, the better it tastes. Use your taste buds as your guide. Add additional salt if needed.
Add water if it becomes too thick. If it’s a bit “soupy,” that’s fine. If, at the very end, you want it thicker, simply uncover it and raise the heat somewhat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes or so.
To garnish, use any of the following: tortilla chips, oyster crackers, sour cream, Fritos chips, sliced avocado, diced jalapeños, shredded cheddar, Jack or quesadilla cheese.
Notes
Note 1: Most “chili powder” sold outside of the Southwest is a concoction of cheap red chilis and cumin. It’s fine, and I use it a lot. The better choice is pure ancho chili powder, which gives a very authentic taste and has no additional ingredients or fillers. Avoid cayenne, which has plenty of heat but much less flavor, Also avoid anything you might find in an Indian market labeled “chili powder.” That stuff will take paint off walls.
Note 2: Paprika comes in several varieties. Here, we recommend plain, Hungarian or “sweet” paprika. Occasionally, you’ll find “hot” paprika which is indeed hot, as in cayenne-hot, and not suitable for this application. If you’re really a fan of smoke, you can use smoked paprika here, but it can really overpower the dish.
Note 3: Run-of-the-mill supermarket oregano is fine here, whether it’s Italian, Greek or “other.” The better choice is Mexican oregano, which has a quite different aroma and gives a nice floral note to a pot of chili. Look for it, if you can.
Note 4: Any full-flavored non-“light” beer is fine here, but the darker the brew, the better the chili. Stout is fine, if a bit “smoky” in character. Ideally, use a Dos Equis or Negra Modelo dark beer from Mexico to give you that perfect balance and authenticity.
Note 5: Diced green chilis are in the supermarket next to the gringo-style “Mexican” foods like taco shells and salsa. Think “Old El Paso” or “Ortega.” These are diced, cooked poblano peppers in small cans, and add very little heat but a nice sour-bitter note.