Midwestern Chili

This chili is Midwestern to its bones: ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and chili powder. No chipotles, no chocolate, no beer. Just a straightforward pot of red that simmers for nearly two hours until everything melds into one deeply flavored, thick bowl.

The chili powder goes in two stages, and this is what separates a flat chili from a layered one. The first dose cooks with the meat and tomatoes for the full 90-minute simmer, mellowing and deepening. The second dose goes in near the end with the remaining beans, staying brighter and more assertive. You end up tasting both the cooked-in warmth and the fresh spice kick.

Apple cider vinegar stirred in during the last 15 minutes is the ingredient most people skip and shouldn’t. It cuts through the richness of the beef and brings all the other flavors into sharper focus. Without it, the chili tastes flat no matter how much you season.

Pro Tips

• Saute the onions for a full 10 minutes until golden, not just translucent. That extra time caramelizes their sugars and builds a savory base.
• Break the ground beef into small pieces as it browns. Big chunks of meat don’t absorb the chili spices as well as finely crumbled beef.
• Simmer uncovered so the liquid reduces and the chili thickens naturally. Covering the pot traps moisture and gives you soup instead of chili.
• This freezes and reheats perfectly. Make the full batch even for a small household and freeze in portions.

Variations

• Turkey chili: Swap ground beef for ground turkey and add a tablespoon of smoked paprika to compensate for the lighter flavor.
• Three-bean version: Add pinto beans and black beans alongside the kidney beans for a more varied texture.