Killer Chili

Invite the gang over! You'll need them to help eat this huge pot of zesty chili with tender beef and smoky bacon in every bite. Adjust the heat to your liking by adding more or less crushed red pepper flakes and use your favorite combination of beans.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 313 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 3 pounds ground beef
• 3 green bell peppers, chopped
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 (1 pound) package bacon
• 2 (14 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 3 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (19 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 12 dashes hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
• 0.25 cup brown sugar
• 0.25 cup ground cumin

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble and set aside.

Step 2

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat and cook and stir the ground beef until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the bacon and minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the red wine, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

Step 3

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green bell peppers, celery, and chopped onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir onion mixture into the stock pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a near boil. Mix in the kidney beans, white beans, and black beans. Season with chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, vinegar, basil, dried minced onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring often.