Flavor-Packed Chili

Ingredients 0/26

Step 1

Fry the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook it, turning now and then, until it’s nicely browned, which should take about 10 minutes. Once done, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble it and set aside.

Step 2

Heat a big stock pot over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef, breaking it up as it browns. Keep cooking until it’s no longer pink and nicely browned all over. Drain off any excess grease, then add the crumbled bacon and minced garlic to the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low and pour in the red wine, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce, stirring everything together.

Step 3

In a separate skillet, warm the vegetable oil over medium heat. Toss in the green bell peppers, celery, and chopped onion. Cook and stir until the onions soften and become translucent—about 5 minutes. Add this veggie mix to the stock pot with the meat.

Step 4

Turn the heat back up to medium-high and bring everything close to a boil. Stir in the kidney beans, white beans, and black beans. Now it’s time to add all the seasonings: chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, vinegar, basil, dried minced onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for about an hour and a half. Don’t forget to stir it occasionally to keep the flavors coming together.