The Super Bowl is usually synonymous with pizza and chicken wings. Since I didn’t want either I deferred to my guests and my wife for main course suggestions. My sister, a vegetarian, wanted chili. My wife, a carnivore, also wanted chili. I decided to make both.

The night prior I made a rockin’ vegetarian chili (which I will divulge in a future post). While it grew more flavorful throughout the day on Sunday, I started in on the heartiest, meatiest, most amazing chili recipe I’ve made to date. Sweet Moses if you don’t try this chili recipe you are doing yourself a disservice.

Before you begin you’re going to need a few things. Get ’em and proceed to the good part.

A Few Things

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 12-ounce cans tomato paste

3 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups water

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cups diced fresh tomatoes

3 cups diced onions

3 cups diced red bell peppers

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 pound chuck steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

The Good Part

1. Heat the olive oil in a HUGE pot over medium-high heat (seriously, you need a huge pot). Add ground pork and ground beef and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes.

2. Add cubed beef and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.

3. Add 2 cups water and bring to boil.

4. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add tomato paste and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add tomatoes, onions, and peppers and simmer for about 30 minutes (or until vegetables are tender).

7. Drain black beans then add them to the chili.

8. Add cilantro to the chili.

9. Add beef broth 1 cup at a time, until the chili is as thick or thin as you like it.

10. Stop cooking, ladle chili into bowls, add a dollop of sour cream, and top it off with shredded cheddar. If you’re feeling particularly randy ditch the spoon for a sleeve of saltine crackers.

From the Chef

Use the largest pot you have. Seriously, there is so much stuff in this chili recipe that if you skimp on the pot you will run out of room. As you can see, my chili was at the brim. Also, my wife isn’t keen on spicy foods. I took a small 2 quart pot and filled it with chili, added some diced jalapeños, a bit more chili powder, some more cheyenne pepper, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Delicious. And, if you haven’t figured it out yet, I love this chili recipe. It’s filled with meat, is ridiculously hearty, and every single bite is filled with flavor.

Cooking Deets

Prep time: 40 minutes (chopping and dicing)

Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cost: < $40 (spices not included)

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: ★★★★★