Bacon and Beef Chili!

Hello from me and Sterling!

No, this adorable Samoyed isn’t my puppy — I’m just a doting auntie — but dang, isn’t he cute?

OK – onto the food!

Friends, we have officially entered CHILI SEASON!

The weather is getting colder, football is on TV, and all we want to do is curl up with a book, a loved one or a puppy, and tucker into a steaming hot bowl of comforting homemade chili!

And last night, I made the absolute BEST bowl of chili, ever.

And that’s saying something, coming from a gal from the land of Cincinnati Skyline Chili.

This hearty and smokey chilly was so comforting and so delicious, because of one word: BACON.

Yep – bacon steals the show in this traditional beef chili. It is such a unique flavor profile that will make you crave this as soon as the weather dips below 60 degrees!

And plus, who doesn’t love an excuse to pile on some fancy cheddar cheese and sour cream!?

Plus, this is gluten free, paleo, keto and Specific Carb Diet friendly (with a few substitutions)

Here’s What You Need: (Serves 6)
5 strips uncooked bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef (I used grassfed 80/20)
1 Tbsp light brown sugar (SCD omit)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ancho chili powder
1-1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (can use less if you don’t like heat!)
1-1/4 cup beef broth
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (SCD: use dried and cook per SCD instruction)
15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (SCD: use dried NAVY beans and cook per SCD instruction)
14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained (SCD use fresh tomatoes)
7 oz can fire roasted green chilis (SCD use a fresh poblano pepper)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (SCD omit)

Toppings:
Sour cream (SCD omit)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced green onions
Cilantro
Avocado/guacamole
Tortilla chips (SCD omit)
Corn chips (SCD omit)

Tools:
Large stock pot or dutch oven
Good chef’s knife
Wooden spoon
Paper towels
Can opener
Colander

Directions:
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook your chopped, uncooked bacon over medium heat until crispy and cooked through. Carefully remove the bacon and place on a paper towel to drain.

Remove all but 1-1/2 Tbsp of the bacon grease from the pot. (If you don’t want to use bacon grease, you can substitute 1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil instead.)

Add onion and pepper to the pan, and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Then, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute, until it’s fragrant.

Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as you cook. Once the ground beef is about half-way browned, add your sugar and spices, and mix well, until cooked through.

Finally, add your remaining ingredients: beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, green chilis and Worcestershire sauce, as well as your cooked bacon, and stir well.

Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes so the flavors can marry.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, avocado and chips!

OK WOW. This chili was phenomenal. Steven loved it so much, he went back for seconds!

The thing that makes this chili so unique is the smokiness! The combination of the bacon, coupled with the smoked paprika, the ancho chili powder, and then the fire roasted tomatoes and green chilis just gives it this depth of flavor unlike any chili you’ve had before!

That pairs beautifully with the cooling sour cream and the buttery avocado.

And the chips are an absolute highlight! Whether you go corn chips, or tortilla chips, the crunch factor is so satisfying!

And let me just say: this chili is THICK. So it’s almost like a dip for chips! And with the melted cheese on top, it’s almost like nachos!

So do yourself a favor and make this chili! The weather is getting cooler, and all you’re going to want to do is curl up with a good book (or a football game) and a crock of this chili!

Happy cooking!

Until tomorrow!

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“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5

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