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Christmas Chili

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.
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Soups and Stews
Servings 8 to 10 servings

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.

Notes

You can find Creole seasoning in the spice aisle of your market. It's spicy, so if you prefer a milder chili, add just the 8 teaspoons.
This makes a big batch and it freezes well.