Paige Harris When the October-y autumn chill finally comes through, there’s nothing better than sitting down to a warming bowl full of chili.
It’s October now and you know what that means… chili season!
(It’s soup season, too, but let’s be real. Chili is SO much better!)
It’s the perfect dish to have to feed a crowd, or to feed yourself for many, many days. And that’s just why I love it!
I love my chili recipe in particular because it focuses on using high quality ingredients without breaking your budget. For example, cans of organic beans are under a dollar each. And that grass-fed ground beef? Only 5 dollars a pound! And canned organic tomatoes are a great way to get in all of the flavor without having to puree them up yourself. The Trader Joe’s brand is especially great because they squeeze some green chilis in there too for some extra flavor.
I didn’t use all organic ingredients when whipping this up. I used conventional pork, red pepper, poblano pepper and onion. But as I’ve said before, it’s about making smart changes where you can. And to me, having grass-fed ground beef was way more important. After all, you are what you eat!
I’d also be lying if I said that you had to stick to the recipe or you’d end up with a total fail, because that is so not true. Chili is amazing because you can mix it up and almost always get a great result. So if you feel like adding two cans of black beans, or using navy beans instead, or switch to adding some sausage instead of just pork, go for it!
One thing that you definitely should make sure to include? The poblano pepper, which hilariously is the only thing NOT pictured above. It adds just the right amount of heat to make the chili flavorful without blowing your socks off like a jalapeño might.
Top your delicious bowl with some cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and some crumbled up spooky chips (I used these) and you have yourself an easy October meal!
October
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp ghee or butter if you'd like
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 medium poblano pepper
- 1.5 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 15 oz can of black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can of kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 32 oz box of beef broth
- 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- to serve: cilantro, jalapeños, limes, tortilla chips, cheese
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, cumin, salt, oregano and black pepper. Mix together until well combined.
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Add the meat mixture to a large pot over medium-high heat and cook until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes. Drain off the grease and transfer the meat to the side for now.
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Add the ghee, onions, red bell peppers, and poblano peppers to the first pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft and the onions start becoming translucent.
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Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant but not burned.
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Add the black and pinto beans, beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder and the cooked pork and ground beef back into the pot. Mix together and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water and pour into the chili, stirring well. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
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Plate up with cilantro, jalapeños, crushed tortilla chips or fresh limes!
