Tastee Chili

Sometimes the best chili is the one that takes five minutes to throw together and an hour on the stove to get good.

This one uses three types of beans for texture and heft: pinto, kidney, and navy. Ground beef, stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, onion, garlic, and a generous heap of chili powder round it out.

No fussy steps, no toasting spices, no browning in batches. Everything goes in one pot, comes to a boil, then simmers until the flavors meld into something thick and soul-warming.

Pro Tips

• Simmer longer if you can. An hour works, but two hours lets the beans soak up the tomato and chili flavors and the whole pot thickens up beautifully.
• Drain the beans well before adding them. Extra canning liquid dilutes the chili and makes it watery.
• Adjust the chili powder to your heat tolerance. Two heaping tablespoons gives moderate warmth. Go bigger if you like it fiery, or stir in some cayenne at the end.