The Best Homemade Chili

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound (raw) bacon – cut into small pieces

1 large onion – diced

1 red bell pepper – seeded and diced

1 green bell pepper – seeded and diced

6 cloves garlic – minced

4.5 tablespoons chili powder

1.5 tablespoons ground cumin

1.5 tablespoons paprika

.5 to 1.5 tablespoons chipotle powder (Use 1.5 tablespoons if you like it spicy)

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

.5 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)

3 pounds ground beef

1 can or bottle beer (I use Coors Light)

1 – 14 ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 – 14 ounce can red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

1 – 24 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 – 24 ounce can diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

1-Cook diced bacon over medium heat in a large non-stick dutch oven or pot. When bacon is almost done, add in diced onion and bell peppers and cook until softened.

2-Add minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, chipotle powder, dried oregano, salt, and cayenne powder. Cook a minute or two until aromatic.

3-Add in ground beef to bacon-onion mixture. Cook until ground beef is no longer pink.

4-Stir in a can of beer rinsed and drained beans, crushed tomatoes with juice, and diced tomatoes with juice.

5-Cover and simmer on low (for me it’s #3) 1.5 hours. Add a little water, if necessary. The first hour stirs the pot every 10-15 minutes, and the last 30 minutes stir the pot every 5-10 minutes. You may need to stir more often depending on your pot and how hot your burner gets.

6-Taste of salt.