We have two favorite chili recipes – one is our “beefier” Texas chili and this version, a more Southern, milder chili with a touch of Creole flavor. Also known in the South as Christmas Chili, it’s just the right bowl to serve while you finish up your holiday activities. Layers of meat and bacon, sautéed in butter along with sweet onion plus red and green bell peppers then simmered with red, ripe tomatoes.
The temperatures in Texas have been up and down this month, and now there’s a promise of extremely cold weather in our forecast. But it doesn’t really matter if it’s warm or cold outside it’s always a perfect day for chili! The flavor of this chili is unlike a traditional Texas beef chili and it’s uniquely wonderful. The name comes from the beautiful red and green bell peppers, finely chopped and added along with a bit of garlic, plus a sweet onion cooked with ground sirloin, ground buffalo and bacon. Add paprika, a touch of brown sugar and the bold flavor of Creole seasoning, then simmer together with tomatoes and a bit of concentrated beef base.
I use ground sirloin and ground buffalo, both of which are very lean. Render a few strips of bacon in with the butter to add a touch of richness. If you can’t find ground buffalo, feel free to use your favorite chili meat. This makes a big batch and it freezes well.
Serve it alongside a spoonful of rice or straight up plus a sprinkling of grated cheddar. It’s a delightful dish for the holiday or any day!
Christmas Chili
8 tablespoons butter
3 slices of bacon cut into small pieces
1 large sweet onion, chopped, about 2 cups
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 pound ground buffalo
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped, about 1-¾ cups
2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped, about 1-¾ cups
10 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
8-10 teaspoons Creole seasoning (you can find this in the spice aisle of your market)
1 to 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 can crushed tomatoes, 28-ounces
1 large can Roma tomatoes, 28-ounces, broken up
1 tablespoon concentrated beef base
1 cup of water
In a large Dutch oven, render the bacon into the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté about 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are tender and somewhat translucent.
Add the ground sirloin and the ground buffalo, breaking the meat up into the onions and cook until the meat is mostly browned. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Drain the excess drippings off the meat. Add the red and green bell peppers along with any of their juices that have accumulated from chopping. Mix well into the meat then add the flour and stir until well combined.
Add the brown sugar, paprika, Creole seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Stir together with the meat and vegetables.
Mix in the crushed tomatoes, the Roma tomatoes, the concentrated beef base along with the water.
Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently as the chili will tend to stick to the pan if the heat is too high. Check for seasoning and add the remaining kosher salt or additional Creole seasoning to suit your taste.
Serves 8 to 10.
Christmas Chili
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 3 slices bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped, about 2 cups
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 1 pound ground buffalo
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped, about 1-¾ cups
- 2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped, about 1-¾ cups
- 10 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 8 to 10 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 1 to 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28-ounces
- 1 can Roma tomatoes, 28-ounces, broken up
- 1 tablespoon concentrated beef base
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, render the bacon into the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté about 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are tender and somewhat translucent.
- Add the ground sirloin and the ground buffalo, breaking the meat up into the onions and cook until the meat is mostly browned. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Drain the excess drippings off the meat. Add the red and green bell peppers along with any of their juices that have accumulated from chopping. Mix well into the meat then add the flour and stir until well combined.
- Add the brown sugar, paprika, Creole seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Stir together with the meat and vegetables.
- Mix in the crushed tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, the concentrated beef base along with the water.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently as the chili will tend to stick to the pan if the heat is too high. Check for seasoning and add the remaining kosher salt or additional Creole seasoning to suit your taste.
