(the best!) Classic Chili
With so many variations of chili the classic version often gets overlooked. Not this one! This is the best classic chili. It's thick, rich, loaded with tomato flavor, lots of beef, and plenty of beans. It's sweet, warm, spicy (in flavor not heat), and so perfect with some sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
Servings 10
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cans (29 oz each) pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 bottle (46 oz) tomato juice
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and salt until no longer pink and cooked through. Drain grease and set aside.
- In a large pot combine the remaining ingredients, sir together. Add in the cooked meat, stir again.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, while stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer, partially covered with a lid, for at least 2 hours (or up to 4). Stir every so often.
- Serve with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
- To make in the crock pot: Brown ground beef according to instructions above. Combine the remaining ingredients in the crock pot, add in the cooked meat and stir together. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.
Notes
You don't want to use the kosher salt labeled 'coarse'. You just want the smaller, more finely ground kosher salt.
Do not confuse tomato juice with vegetable juice (like V8). They look similar but you want the plain tomato juice (the brand I saw was Campbell's). You can find the tomato juice in the juice aisle.