Easy Southern Chili

Candied Sweet Potatoes

This easy Southern chili is rich, hearty and deeply savory, built from everyday ingredients with a few thoughtful touches that make a real difference.

Ground beef, sweet onion, kidney beans and tomatoes form the backbone, while dried ancho chile adds a mellow, earthy depth without turning the pot into Tex-Mex chili.

A little brown sugar rounds the spices rather than making the chili sweet, and the ancho is soaked, blended and cooked into the base so its flavor runs through the whole pot. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and warm jalapeño cornbread muffins for a great cool weather supper.

Watch my video to follow along step-by-step.

Kentucky Sorghum Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 6–8
Prep time: 30 minutes, including soaking
Cook time: Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes
Rest time: 10–15 minutes
Oven: Not required

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) ground beef, preferably 85% lean

• 2 dried ancho chiles

• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef stock, plus extra as needed

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, if needed

• 1 large sweet onion, diced, approximately 10 oz (280 g)

• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste

• 2 tbsp (16 g) American chili powder

• 2 tsp (4 g) sweet paprika

• 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• One 28 oz (794 g) can crushed tomatoes

• One 14½ oz (411 g) can diced tomatoes, with their juices

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp (13 g) packed light brown sugar

• Two 15 oz (425 g) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) apple cider vinegar, to taste

• Sour cream, to serve

• Jalapeño cornbread muffins, to serve

Method

1. Prepare the anchos. Remove the stems and shake out the loose seeds. Tear the chiles into pieces and place in a blender jug. Pour over the heated beef stock and soak for 20–30 minutes, until softened. Allow to cool sufficiently for your blender, then blend until smooth.

2. Brown the beef. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two batches, adding a little oil if needed. Let it develop a brown crust before breaking it into crumbles, leaving some larger pieces. Transfer to a bowl. Retain approximately 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.

3. Cook the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

4. Build the base. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and stir for 30 seconds. Add the ancho purée and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.

5. Simmer. Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add both cans of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Scrape up any browned bits and bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the beans. Stir in the kidney beans and simmer uncovered for another 25–35 minutes, until thick. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, adding a little extra stock only if needed.

7. Finish and serve. Adjust the seasoning. Stir in 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar, adding more only if needed. Rest off the heat for 10–15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and warm jalapeño cornbread muffins.

Larder Notes

• Soaking and blending the dried ancho gives the chili a deeper, rounder chile flavor than simply adding more powdered spice.

• The brown sugar is there for balance, not sweetness; it softens the sharper edges of the tomato and spices.

• Chili is even better after a rest. Make it a day ahead if you can, then reheat gently before serving.

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