Chili N'Awlins

Cajun country meets the Tex-Mex chili pot in this big-batch chili. Two pounds of ground beef team up with a pound of ground pork for a richer, more complex meat base than beef alone. The pork fat carries spice flavor in a way that lean beef simply can’t.

Five cups of chopped onions is not a typo. They cook down through the long simmer until they melt into the gravy and become invisible, sweetening the whole pot from inside.

A splash of red wine vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar are the New Orleans fingerprints. The acid sharpens the long-simmered tomato while the sugar rounds out the chili powder’s bite without making things sweet.

The canned green chiles add a soft heat that’s distinctly Southwestern, but with the Louisiana touches in play, it lands somewhere between Texas red and a Creole stew. Bay leaves and oregano build the herbal foundation.

The two-stage cooking matters. Two hours covered builds depth; thirty minutes uncovered with the beans concentrates the broth.

Chef Tips

• Drain the rendered fat before adding spices. Cooking chili powder in a pool of grease tastes harsh and greasy.
• Use a heavy pot, like cast iron Dutch oven, to hold heat steady through the long simmer.
• Crumble bay leaves before adding for stronger flavor extraction. Fish them out before serving.
• Make it the day before. Chili always tastes deeper after a night in the fridge.

Variations

• Stir in a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a splash of bourbon for a smokier Southern profile.
• Swap kidney beans for black beans or pinto beans depending on what’s in the pantry.
• Top with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and chopped scallions instead of (or alongside) the corn chips.