Chef in Progress: My Very Own Homemade Chili

I have had an on-and-off love affair with cooking since I graduated from college, as I graduated from dorm room Food Network-voyeurism to actually making meals on occasion. My cooking endeavors really took off when I moved in with my then-boyfriend (now-husband) and I had an actual audience to impress. Most of my cooking has evolved from recipes learned from Food Network (Ina Garten and Tyler Florence are a couple of my favorites) and a couple of pseudo-recipes learned from my mom (who has no concept of measurements).

A couple of years ago, I decided that I REALLY like chili. I think I came to that realization, surprisingly, after eating it at BJ's (whose chili now kinda sucks, by the way). I had some basic knowledge of how to make soups and stews, so I figured I could apply that to developing my very own chili recipe. I am particularly fond of this recipe because it is the first (and maybe only) recipe that I developed completely on my own, from scratch. And because it's the best chili EVERRRRR! Since it's all mine, I am free to share it, so here it is!

Melissa'a Homemade Chili

Yields 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients
(Note: Seasoning measurements are approximations. It takes some trials to get it to taste exactly how you want it, but these are close approximations to what I use. Remember that part of the fun of cooking is adapting recipes to your liking!).

1 lb of ground turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1-2 jalapeños, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
I tbsp flour
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half
2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups cooked beans (any kind, I prefer black), rinsed and drained
1 12 oz bottle of beer (any as long as it's not too bitter)
Olive Oil
Cayenne Pepper, ground
Cumin
Paprika
Chili Powder
Salt 
Black pepper, ground

Steps:

1. Brown the ground turkey in two batches so as not crowd the pan (thanks for that tip, Food Network!), in about 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp each of the cayenne, cumin, and paprika, 1/2 tsp of salt, and some pepper onto turkey before it browns, then begin to break up the turkey with a spatula. Set aside on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

The turkey has more room to brown nicely since I only added half at a time.

2. Add diced onion, jalapeño, and bell pepper to pot (Note: the amount of jalapeño depends on the desired level of heat. One jalapeño is mild; two is medium-hot). Let them cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Colorful veggies.

Dicing onions. To do this, cut tip and root of onion off, cut in half lengthwise, lay half down flat, slice horizontally 2-3 times almost all the way through, slice vertically across width of onion, then cut vertically across the length of the onion. Voila, a perfectly diced onion within a couple of minutes!

Um, I was just strangely proud of my diced jalapeno and the shape into which I arranged the pieces. Make sure you remove the seeds and ribbing of the jalapeño, lest you choke in reaction to excessive heat (or am I a wimp?).

3. Create an opening in the center of the pot by pushing the vegetables to the sides of the pot. Add a tbsp of olive oil to the center, then a tbsp of flour to thicken the chili (I used to skip this step because I didn't want the added fat, but, for the 3 grams of fat it adds to each serving, it's totally worth it!). Stir the olive oil and flour into the vegetables, and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.

The combination of oil (or any fat) and flour creates a paste that thickens any stew, soup, or sauce.

4. Add the tomatoes to the pot by crushing them over the pot, into the veggie/oil/flour mixture (the tomatoes should break up easily and you'll get both the liquid and solid elements of the tomato). Add 1/4 tsp of salt, some pepper, and a sprinkle each of cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Allow to cook and thicken for 1-2 minutes, then add tomato paste, stir in, and allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes.

No need to dice tomatoes, which I absolutely hate doing anyway. They should break up nicely in your hot little hands.

Base with tomato, before adding tomato paste.

5. Add browned turkey and beans. Stir the contents of the pot together so that the base completely coats the turkey and beans.

Homemade black beans--> gourmet for the poor. Recipe to come...

6. Add the beer until it barely covers the contents of the pot (it usually will be just shy of the entire bottle). Stir and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer (medium-low heat), and add 1-2 tsp of salt (to taste), 1/2 tsp of ground pepper, 1 1/2 tsp each of cumin and paprika, 1/2 tsp of cayenne, and a tbsp of chili powder. Simmer uncovered for at least 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally and tasting for seasoning. The chili should thicken to stew-like consistency.

Simmering away...

Bonus: Top with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for a real treat!

Making chili is a time-consuming endeavor, so it's a not a busy weeknight recipe; however, it's great to make ahead when you have some time on your hands, because you can store and reheat it, which sometimes actually makes it taste even better. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me if you have any questions :-). Happy cooking!

-Melissa