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In the beginning days of dating my husband, I used to work with a young man with the boyish looks of a slightly older Justin Bieber and the charisma of Macklemore. We worked as customer service reps at a cellular phone company with our cubicles next to each other. He often wore baggy jeans, a white t-shirt, and a thick gold chain around his neck with overly gelled blond hair styled like Vanilla Ice. He looked like the kind of guy who probably went out every night to dance clubs and bars. But if you knew him like our team did, the only dancing he was doing most evenings was rocking his 1-year-old daughter back and forth in a glider hoping she would fall asleep sooner than later, and maybe catch a couple Zs himself in the process. When his attention wasnt on his one year old at home, it was usually on his 2 year old son. Raising two young kids as a single dad was his full-time job outside his full-time job at work. His name was Jason. He was 22 years old and widowed.
It was not uncommon for us to have these 2 or 3 minute side bar conversations between service calls as we talked about everything and anything happening in our lives at that given time. One conversation in particular has always stayed with me. During one of our mini conversations Jason shared how hard it was to always feed his kids from fast-food restaurants. Before his wife passed away, she would always prepare family meals, which was great for Jason because he did not know how to cook. After she died, the drive-thru became a staple for him on his way home from work to feed himself and his kids. Listening to him I felt so sorry for him and his situation. He was a good-hearted guy doing the best he could, trying to navigate fatherhood alone.
That single conversation with him has never left me. Right after it happened, I shared Jasons situation with my husband (then boyfriend). I told Rob, If we ever get married and have kids you have to learn how to cook just a few dishes, for our future kids sake. If I die, promise me you wont not feed our kids fast food every night.
Fast forward many years past our wedding and into our parenting years I have brought up Jasons story to Rob half seriously, reminding him he still needs to learn how to cook because you never know. I would love to tell you my husband learned how to cook. Sadly, this is not the case despite the many lessons Ive given him. The truth is he hates cooking.
However, I have been successful helping him understand how to cook from a cookbook and how simple cooking can be if he gives it a chance.
One of the easiest fail-proof recipes any person can learn how to cook is chili. It is one the most filling one-pot meals that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Yes, I said breakfast.
Although my husband and I have been married fourteen years, his aversion to cooking remains. But, even he acknowledges the importance of this valuable life skill. Teaching Rob to make chili has been a tremendous blessing to me. This meal can be made on a cold winters night, to enjoy while watching football, or to make while camping with family. Its a great staple recipe to know how to prepare with nearly zero probability a person can screw it up.
If youve never made chili before, I invite you to make this recipe. It will give you confidence in the kitchen while feeding your kids a nutritious meal. Not to mention it makes a great Super Bowl (Go Seahawks!) dish to make for the big game.
Be sure to watch the video above to see Rob learn how to make this dish we affectionately called Dads Chili. But unlike Rob, make sure you dont cut (with the intent to use) the outer paper layer of an onion. Yes, Rob went there.
I still bring up Jason time to time to my husband to remind him how important it is for him to know how to cook. Lucky for us, we now have Dads Chili to enjoy.
FAQs
Rumi Spice's top tips for making chili:
- Brown the Meat.
- Don't Forget Vegetables.
- Elevate with Extra Flavor.
- Only Add Flavorful Liquids.
- Opt for Dried Beans.
- Season Early and Often.
- Add Some Acidity at the End.
- Top It Off.
If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.
What kind of vinegar to add to chili? ›
A little bit of vinegar goes a long way, so as a rule of thumb, stick with 1 tablespoon of vinegar per pot. Our top picks are apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or sherry vinegar, though any kind of vinegar on hand will get the job done and give your chili the boost it needs.
What is the most important spice in chili? ›
Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.
Why do you put brown sugar in chili? ›
The brown sugar gave it a sweet/tangy flavor that reminded me of BBQ-sauce! Th chili was so good - it was hard to stop eating it! I did had some extra veggies (1 cl. garlic, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 1 bell pepper, 1 hot pepper) and used a can of diced tomatoes rather than tomato juice.
What not to put in chili? ›
Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.
What does tomato paste do for chili? ›
The tomato paste adds color and rich flavor to our chili. Now we have our flavorful base, you are going to finish the chili with pureed tomatoes, beef broth (or chicken broth), and beans. Beans make this chili hearty — I like pinto beans or kidney beans.
How does Martha Stewart make chili? ›
Add chili powder, cocoa, and tomato paste; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, broth, and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until thickened slightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with sour cream and chives.
Do you cook onions or meat first for chili? ›
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, and red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high.
What does cinnamon do for chili? ›
'" Further east in Ohio, Cincinnati-style chili has many of the same ingredients as traditional red chili, such as cayenne, cumin and paprika. But it also skews sweeter with the addition of warm baking spices like allspice, nutmeg — and cinnamon.
Alternatively, you could whip up a cheap meal with this 5-ingredient (now 6-ingredient) chili and simply add a bit of chocolate to the ground beef, diced yellow onion, chili powder, diced tomatoes, and drained beans. Whichever recipe you go for, know that a bit of dark chocolate never hurt anyone.
What is my chili missing? ›
Sometimes after a long simmer, your chili will taste wonderful be maybe missing one little thing you can't figure out. Try a tad bit of vinegar or a squeeze of lime! The acidity in vinegar & limes bring a good roundness to the pot and binds all the flavors together.
Why put baking soda in chili? ›
In this chili recipe, baking soda (that same thing the fluffs up cakes and cookies) tenderizes the ground beef while making it brown better. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is alkaline.
What makes a good competition chili? ›
Chili must: LOOK GOOD, SMELL GOOD and TASTE GOOD. If in a competition, it must do so lukewarm in a styrofoam cup. It also must look good on as small plastic teaspoon used for judging and tasting. Chili that doesn't win violates one or more of the three basics.
What is the most flavorful meat for chili? ›
You can really use any meat for chili, but here are the cuts that are most popular for classic chili:
- Ground beef (80/20) ...
- Ground sirloin (90/10) ...
- Brisket. ...
- Short ribs. ...
- Tri-tip sirloin. ...
- Work with your butcher to get multiple textures. ...
- Use multiple animals to add depth. ...
- Go for grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
You can make my Chili's Secret Sauce recipe revealed here in just a couple of minutes with a simple combination of mayonnaise, ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey, and mustard, plus a little turmeric to add a golden tint.
