Firehouse Chili
Made with ground beef, veggies, beans, and the perfect blend of seasonings, this award-winning firehouse chili is a true crowd-pleaser.
By Yankee Magazine|Oct 21 2021|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanMade with ground beef, veggies, beans, and the perfect blend of seasonings, this award-winning firehouse chili is a true crowd-pleaser.
Dennis Carr grills the beef for his chili, then breaks the patties up into the mixture. This method cuts the amount of fat in the final dish and also results in bigger chunks of meat. However, you may also just brown the meat in the pot before adding the vegetables.
Note: You may increase or decrease the amounts of jalapeno, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, depending on how much heat you prefer.
Yield:
12 to 14 servingsIngredients
4 pounds ground beef
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 medium-size carrot, peeled and grated
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed light-brown sugar
3-4 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can each kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas
Instructions
Preheat your grill to medium, about 350°. Shape ground beef into large, flat patties. Grill patties until centers are medium rare, about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 on the second. As an alternative, you may cook the patties in a skillet, or just brown the meat in the chili pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.
In a large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, warm oil. Add onions, carrot, bell peppers, jalapeno, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas. If you grilled the beef, add patties now and use a large spoon to break them up into bite-size chunks. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring often, 1 hour. If mixture seems too thick during cooking, thin it with a bit of water.
Check seasoning and add more salt or black pepper if you like. Serve hot.
Hubby and I made this yesterday. Made as directed and it is very good. Nice spuce flavor without being too spicy hot. Served with a loaf of homemade bread. Great meal.
I always like to compare recipes, because every recipe might have an ingredient that I want to try in my tried and true recipe that has been, virtually untouched for 30 years, mostly because I know what my body can take when it comes to heat, when sweat appears on my forehead, it’s hot enough. Jalapeno peppers and Cayenne pepper were tried in past years, so it all comes down to what Chilli powder is used sets the strength. I go for taste now and NOT THE HEAT, no fire alarms in my chilli. If there are any jalapeno peppers, they’ll be in the cheese I might add, then I might scoop my chilli with corn chips or toasted sourdough bread leaving the spoon to get the rest.
Can’t wait to try it. However I woul have to cut down on the amount.
I use honey, not brown sugar, and add celery with the onion. I have also added zucchini when I had a bumper crop.
Yum! I would include everything except the brown sugar. I’ve never liked sweetness in my chili. But everything else sounds amazing! Thanks!
I don’t put brown sugar in my chili. I use a big piece of chocolate. Usually a piece of Lindt chocolate bar with chilies or whatever I have in the freezer ????
I made this for the third time today. (So you know we like it.) It is a nice meaty chili that is flavorful but not too hot. I brown the meat in a frying pan, in batches, and discard the rendered fat and then add when recipe tells you to. Of course the flavor depends on the quality of your chili power (and cumin). This makes a very big batch. I parcel some out to family and also freeze in small quantities for future easy dinners. Serve with corn bread!
I lived in NE for the first 37 1/2 years of my life, I’ve been gone for 38 years. Having lived in AZ, TX, and AR I have come to learn NO CARROTS and NO BEANS! If you enter a Chili Cookoff in TX and add either, especially beans, you are DQ.
Just joking, I like it either way, but I do prefer it without beans. Will be trying your recipe as the weather gets colder.
WE SERVE OVER RICE WITH CORN BREAD AS A SIDE DISH.
Burt B.
could you please share a recipe??
Thank you!