Sweet & Spicy Beef Chili

 

Whether it's been handed down from generation to generation or of your own creation, everyone has a chili recipe. A content grin grows on your face when your family and friends take that first warm bite and go "mmm..." 

A few years ago, my chili was just ground beef, chili beans, and a packet of seasoning. Very easy and nothing special to eat. I decided to ditch the seasoning packets and start working on a chili recipe to call my own. It took three years, but I finally got that coveted "mmm..." from my family with this concoction. It includes warm spices like ginger and cinnamon - perfect for fall or winter. 

WHAT YOU NEED (Yields 6-8 bowls)

2 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or two bay leaves)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (or 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder)
1 cup chicken stock
32 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 cans of chili beans
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cumin
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon of red chili flakes or to taste (or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

Cook the ground beef on medium heat until fully cooked and brown. Ground beef tends to clump together, so break it into smaller chunks to make sure that it cooks evenly. If it leaves a lot of fat, drain as much of it as you can - this will prevent your chili from having that unattractive oily gloss on top. Don't worry, that small amount of remaining fat and pounds of ground beef will give you plenty of meaty flavor. Add in minced ginger, thyme, and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in your chicken stock and crushed tomatoes, and cover for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, turn down your heat to simmer, and stir in your mixture of cinnamon, cumin, brown sugar, chili powder, ground ginger, and red chili flakes.

How long should I let it cook?
You can let your chili simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours, it's completely your choice. I prefer to turn it off at the 2 hour mark. This will allow your chili to thicken and provide the beef and beans an opportunity to absorb the flavor. If you're very hungry and don't want to wait two hours, go ahead and serve after 30 minutes- it will still taste amazing the next day after a long night in the fridge.

When you're ready to take it out, TASTE IT BEFORE YOU ADD SALT. Chicken stock has salt and the chili will get saltier as it reduces over the heat. If you feel like it needs additional salt after you taste it, go for it. Enjoy with sour cream and/or cheddar cheese!