Make Chili When it’s Chili Out

This past weekend our oldest daughter, Alyssa, decided to make herself chili. She messaged and asked me for a “recipe.“ I don’t have a “recipe” for chili but I do have a method. It’s called the ‘dump it in the pot’ method. I did my best to offer her guidance because it’s fun to make chili when it’s chilly out. Chili is easy to make but requires a long and slow cook; yet another reason it’s excellent for a chilly day. Chili freezes well too so it’s great for a lunch when you’re running late. ( No judging.) To follow is my ‘dump it in the pot’ method. My “recipe” is vegetarian but if you like meat in your chili, brown it along with the onions and once it’s no longer pink, begin adding the other ingredients.
To a large pot, add: 4 tablespoons oil or bacon drippings, 2-3 chopped onions, 6 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1 tablespoon chili powder. After about five minutes of cooking start dumping the following: 1, 32 ounce can each of (low sodium) tomato purée and whole stewed tomatoes that have gone for a brief whirl in a food processor or squished well with your hands. (I do not like to use canned diced tomatoes because they are treated with chemicals that help them hold their shape.) 1 bottle of beer, 1, 14 ounce can each of a combination of (low sodium) beans such as pinto, kidney, white beans and/or black beans, liquid and all, 2 tablespoons chili powder and 1 tablespoon each brown sugar and ground cumin. Allow to stew, stirring periodically, for 2 hours. After two hours, add 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate and taste for additional seasonings. Allow to cook another hour or two and taste again for salt and any additional seasonings. Most all the liquid should have reduced down by now but if not, as soon as it does and it’s super thick, serve with grated cheese, sour cream and diced jalapeño pepper, if that’s what you enjoy.