So Good Chili

This is a big-batch, slow-simmered chili that earns its name through patience and a quiet pile of vegetables. After browning and draining the ground beef, everything else goes into the pot, beans, tomatoes, spices, and a generous load of finely chopped vegetables, for a long, low simmer.

Three hours might sound like a lot, but it’s where the magic happens. That slow cook melds the spices, deepens the flavor, and melts the vegetables down into the sauce, so the chili turns thick and rich and the veggies fade into the background where picky eaters won’t spot them.

It’s the kind of pot that feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had a night to settle. Ladle it into bowls and pile on whatever you love, shredded cheese, sour cream, onions, or a handful of crushed crackers.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown and drain the beef well so the chili is rich and savory, not greasy.
• Don’t rush the simmer; three low, slow hours is what melds the spices and melts the vegetables in.
• Chop the vegetables finely if you want them to disappear into the sauce for picky eaters.

Variations

• Stir in corn, bell pepper, or extra beans, and adjust the chili powder and cumin to taste.
• Make it ahead; chili almost always tastes better the next day after the flavors settle.