Ted Allen's Killer Chili Recipe (2024)

I saw this recipe from an old issue (December 2005) of Good HouseKeeping magazine. It’s worth trying, andas (I) expected, the chilli turned out delicious, and really hot! I substituted local green finger and red hot chillies and white beans (it’s what I have in my pantry). Chillis are often eaten with corn bread or crusty bread but welikeourstew with rice, it’s just moresatisfyingand “proper” fora meal(stews are always eaten with rice in our family and we, or at least my husbandwon’t have it any other way and won’tcount it as dinner or lunch with out the rice).

start with browning the bacon, then the beef; set aside..

..saute the chillies and spices in the same pot; add the meat and the bacon back

add the beer, canned tomato and season it to suit your taste

add cornmeal to thicken the sauce

I served it with plain yogurt and calamansi in lieu of sour cream and lime..yum! 🙂

FYI for those who have no idea who Ted Allen is – he’s one of the Fab Four in Queer eye for the straight Guy TV show.

TED ALLEN’S KILLER CHILLI

Ingredients:

4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
1.5 pounds boneless beef roast cut into 1″ cubes
1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
6 medium garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 tablespoon chili pepper
1/2 tablespoon ground ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 can (28 ounces) peeled, whole tomatoes in juice
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
2 bay leaves
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed ( I used white bean cause it’s all I have)
2 tablespoons cornmeal
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a 6-quart Dutch oven or any heavy large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the bacon is crisp but not overly browned. With a slotted spoon, place bacon into a separate bowl. Remove bacon fat, just leave about a tablespoon to brown the beef cubes. Transfer meat to a bowl and set aside.

While the meat is browning, combine the chili powder, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, and allspice.

Turn the heat down to low and add one more tablespoon of bacon fat to the pot. Add the chopped onion, cover and cook for about five minutes – stir every so often until the onions are near transparent. Add the garlic and jalapeños, cook for two more minutes – until soft.

When the onions, garlic and jalapeños are cooked, add the spices to the pot along with 2 tablespoon water. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Use the back of your wooden spoon to smash the tomatoes into small pieces. Add all of the meat back in, including the bacon. Add the beer, bay leaves and 1 quart of water. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered for two hours. The meat will become very tender. Stir in the beans, then the cornflour. Uncover and simmer for thirty more minutes or until the meat is very, very tender. This recipe tastes great made a day ahead. The extra day allows for the all the flavors to deepen.

Serve the chili with rice or bread, cornbread (whatever you prefer). Top with sour cream or in my case, I used yogurt and squeeze some fresh lime (or calamansi).

Enjoy! 🙂