Everyone needs a recipe for classic beef chili. Make this one your go-to! It's made with corn, peppers, tomatoes, and beans, and makes enough to freeze for later!

Photography Credit: Sally Vargas

I like to call this my Saturday chili. It’s meaty and hearty and satisfying, and it’s been in our meal rotation all through the chilly months for years now. (They are “chili” months, after all, haha.)

This recipe makes a whopping sixteen cups. That’s enough to feed a crowd or to hoard in the freezer for those dreary cold nights when it gets dark way too early and the cupboard is bare.

On any given Saturday morning, I might start this early and give it a long, lazy simmer while I sip my coffee, read the paper, or throw in a load of laundry. I can call up friends and have an impromptu, casual gathering with very little elbow grease.

Video! How to Make Beef Chili

COOK THIS BEEF CHILI LOW AND SLOW

It’s the long, lazy simmer that really sets this meaty chili apart. Onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes slowly thicken the chili until it is almost creamy.

You can cut the time down to about 45 minutes, but if you’re not in a rush, let it simmer up to 1 1/2 hours. You’ll will be rewarded with fantastic, deep flavor.

And of course like all good chilis, it’s always better the second or third day.

MAKE YOUR OWN CHILI POWDER!

Instead of pureeing reconstituted dried chilies as most “from scratch” recipes do, I skip straight to using pure ground chili powders like ancho and chipotle powders to save a step.

Ancho chilies are dried poblano peppers and are relatively mild with an earthy flavor, whereas chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeños, and as such, provide a lot more heat, so use the powder judiciously.

Generic chili powder is a mix of chilies and other seasonings like dried onion and garlic, and I prefer to add those “extra” flavors myself.

WAYS TO ADAPT THIS RECIPE

The amount of chili powder in the recipe provides just a little kick, but you can bump it up by adding more chipotle powder if you like it hot. Use black, kidney, or pinto beans or a mix, if you happen to have them on hand; they’re interchangeable in this recipe.

Also if you want to sneak in a few extra vegetables, you could add diced zucchini, diced squash, or even carrots and celery, but I don’t usually guild this lily. I love it as is.

BEST CHILI TOPPINGS

As for the “go-withs” there are plenty of toppings to choose from. Set out bowls of them so each person can select his or her own. Here are a few of my top contenders:

Sour cream

Shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey jack

Chopped onions

Chopped radishes

Shredded lettuce

Fresh cilantro

Chopped jalapeños

WHAT TO SERVE ALONGSIDE

Bake a pan of cornbread while the chili simmers and you will have a comforting supper, ready and waiting whenever you are.

FREEZE YOUR LEFTOVER CHILI

Leftover chili will last for at least a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to three months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, or reheat the frozen soup straight from the freezer in a saucepan over low heat.

MORE CHILI RECIPES TO TRY!