Eugenia's 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carn

Twenty-seven ingredients. That sounds insane until you taste the result. This is a chili that layers flavor on flavor on flavor: chopped sirloin and browned sausage form the meaty base, dried pinto beans soaked overnight bring earthy substance, and then everything else piles in. Mushrooms, olives, pimentos, celery, red and green bell peppers, green chiles, two cans of tomatoes, chili sauce, and a whole spice rack worth of seasonings.

The orange zest is the secret weapon hiding in that long ingredient list. Just a grating of it lifts the entire pot, adding a citrus brightness that keeps all those heavy, rich ingredients from becoming one-note. You won’t taste “orange” but you’ll notice everything tastes more alive.

Flour sprinkled over the browned meat thickens the broth into a velvety sauce that coats every bean and chunk of sirloin. Combined with the baked beans (which break down and add their own sugary thickness), the body of this chili is substantial without being gluey.

Chef Tips

• Soak the pinto beans overnight and cook them separately before adding to the chili. Undercooked beans in a finished chili are a disappointment you can’t fix.
• Brown the sausage in its own pan and drain the fat. Too much sausage grease makes the whole pot slick.
• Skim the fat with a cold spoon as it rises during the simmer. A cold spoon attracts fat and lifts it cleanly.
• Make a double batch. The recipe says it freezes wonderfully, and chili of this complexity is worth having in the freezer.

Variations

• Turkey version: Swap the sirloin for ground turkey and use chicken sausage for a lighter take that still has depth from all those aromatics.
• Extra heat: Add habanero or chipotle peppers to the green chiles for a chili with serious fire.
• Cornbread topping: Pour the chili into a casserole dish, top with cornbread batter, and bake for a chili-cornbread hybrid.