Firehouse Chili (Loaded)
Submitted by chilipepper
Loaded firehouse chili packed with 19 ingredients: bacon, beef, two types of beans, green chilies, tomatoes, cornmeal for thickness, and layers of spices. The ultimate hearty chili for serious appetites.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThis isn’t minimal chili. This is the loaded, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink version that firefighters make when they want to feed a hungry crew.
You start with bacon for smoky depth, brown beef in the rendered fat, then build flavor with onions, peppers, and garlic. Multiple types of heat come into play: chili powder, cayenne, green chilies, and pickled jalapeños. Both pinto beans (mashed for body) and kidney beans (whole for texture) go in, along with crushed tomatoes and a full quart of beef stock.
The secret weapon? Cornmeal mixed with cold water stirred in at the end to thicken everything into a rich, stick-to-your-ribs consistency. After nearly 2 hours of simmering, you’ve got chili with serious depth and complexity.
This makes a big batch and tastes even better the next day. Feed a crowd or freeze half for later.
Ingredients
Directions
Fry bacon until crisp, remove.
Brown beef in bacon grease, stirring as it cooks.
Sprinkle beef lightly with garlic salt (½ teaspoon) while cooking.
When all meat is browned, add onion, green pepper and garlic.
Cook until tender. Add seasonings, crumbled bacon and broth.
Stir and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, chilies, peppers and mashed beans.
Simmer covered for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Add kidney beans and simmer for 30 minutes longer.
Mix together cornmeal and cold water and add gradually to the chili to thicken.
When desired consistency is reached, cook 10 minutes longer.
Chili is now ready to be serve.
Comments
Everyone loves this recipe! I've made it for 250 Bingo players to Christmas dinner for 5. It takes much longer than it says it does but it's worth it. My son just made it for his school assignment. Lucky Kids!