Best Chili Ever Recipe: Perfect for Fourth of July Celebrations!

When it comes to comfort food, there isn’t much that can beat chili. Still, not all chili is created equal. Most chilis today are bland with a soup-like consistency, and that probably includes your go-to takeaway, too. The good news is the Best Chili Ever recipe is as close as it gets to perfection.

The Best Chili Ever recipe boasts a pretty long list of ingredients, so much so that it scares some people away. No worries, though; the Best Chili Ever recipe favors quantity and quality at the same time, not wasting a single ingredient. Each ingredient has a role to play, and they work in perfect harmony to create the most delicious chili you will ever taste.

Although this one might be too hot for some, there is no need to worry; the recipe also includes a mild variation. With a smooth and creamy topping, earthy herbs, and perfectly sauteed veggies, the Best Chili Ever recipe makes a great comfort food.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Pro Tips 
• Best Chili Ever Recipe: Perfect for Fourth of July Celebrations!
• Comments

Ingredients

• Ground beef — 2 ½ pounds
• Red kidney beans — 2 cans (16 oz. each)
• White wine — ½ cup
• Yellow onion — 1, chopped
• Olive oil — 4 tbsp.
• Garlic — 4 cloves, minced
• Worcestershire sauce — ¼ cup
• Tomato paste — 1 can (12 oz.)
• Light beer — 1 can (12 oz.)
• Dried basil — 2 ½ tsp.
• Dried oregano — ½ tsp.
• Salt — 1 tsp.
• Smoked paprika — 1 ½ tsp.
• Sour cream — 1 cup
• Ground cumin — ½ tsp.
• Brown sugar — 1 tbsp.
• Crushed tomatoes — 1 can (28 oz.)
• Bouillon cubes — 2
• Anaheim chile pepper — 1, chopped
• Red jalapeno peppers — 2, chopped
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes — 1 can (14 ½ oz.)

Instructions

1. Start by heating the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, Anaheim pepper, jalapeno peppers, and garlic.

2. Cook until tender.

3. Meanwhile, cook the beef in a large saucepan until browned, about 10 minutes.

4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, beer, and bouillon cubes. Cook for five minutes.

5. Combine the beef mixture with the vegetable mixture in the same pan.

6. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and wine.

7. Season the mixture with cumin, brown sugar, basil, paprika, salt, and oregano.

8. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for an hour and a half, covered.

9. Stir the mixture every once in a while.

10. Finally, add the kidney beans and let the mixture simmer for another 30 minutes.

11. Top the mixture with sour cream before serving.

Substitutions

• White wine — This one provides much-needed acidity and a deep flavor, so it is necessary to make the Best Chili Ever recipe. That said, vinegar is a suitable replacement for white wine, which is no surprise. White wine vinegar works great, and you can also use apple cider vinegar. What about lime juice also?

• Herbs and spices — The Best Chili Ever recipe uses herbs and spices like basil, oregano, cumin, paprika, and cilantro. You could use Italian seasoning if that sounds like too many ingredients.

• Sour cream — Most recipes are complete with a topping option, and for the Best Chili Ever recipe, that means you will need sour cream. The problem is that sour cream is simply not for everyone. Instead of sour cream, you can experiment with Greek yogurt and heavy cream.

• Worcestershire sauce — This one is a must for many chili recipes, and it works just fine. But you can make this Best Chili Ever recipe using soy sauce instead. Fish sauce could also be considered, although it won’t be as good as the other two.

Variations

• Alcohol-free — One thing about the Best Chili Ever recipe is that you will use many ingredients, including alcoholic beverages like light beer and white wine. While those should be easy to find, not everyone might be okay with using alcohol. If that’s the case with you, no worries! Beef broth makes a great alternative to white wine, while non-alcoholic beer replaces light beer just fine.

• Milder — Admittedly, this Best Chili Ever recipe is reasonably strong when it comes to spice. The peppers and the paprika contribute a lot to this. Even if you like your dish with some heat, this one might be too much for you. You can always use regular tomatoes instead of fire-roasted ones. Oh, you might also want to consider using milder peppers.

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Large pot

• Large saucepan

Storage

• Allow the chili to cool to room temperature. Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.

• Once stored in your fridge, the leftovers will last for up to four days.

Pro Tips 

• Be patient — It is clear that you should let the chili simmer for an hour and a half. It is a crucial step for the recipe, as a shorter amount of time would result in a bland-tasting, tough chili. The simmering process is essential for the flavors to blend.

• Not thick enough? — Sometimes, the dish might look more like a soup than chili. It is a common pitfall, one that many people are suffering from. The solution is to mash the beans with a fork, creating a thick layer. Add some flour to the mix if that doesn’t sound good enough.