Chuck's Super Chili

Hot Italian sausage and ground beef are the base of this spicy chili made with red wine, colorful bell peppers, tomatoes, kidney beans, and both jalapeno and chipotle chiles. It makes enough to feed a crowd or to freeze extra for easy weeknight meals.

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 50 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 282 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 pounds ground sirloin
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained
• 2 pounds hot Italian sausage
• 2 cups Merlot or other dry red wine
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in Italian sausage and ground sirloin. Cook and stir until meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.

Step 2

Transfer meat to a large Dutch oven; place over medium-high heat. Stir in chopped onion; add red, yellow, and green bell peppers, garlic, and jalapeno peppers. Cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Mix in chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, tomato paste, oregano, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes more.

Step 4

Stirring constantly, pour in wine, chopped tomatoes and their juice, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and chopped chipotle chiles in sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Step 5

Uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves before serving.