Fabio's Award-Winning Beef Chili

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When it comes to chili, everyone's got an opinion on what makes the best "bowl of red," but no two recipes are the same. Check out Chef Fabio's Italian twist on this one-pot wonder! Featuring special guest Nikki Boyer.

Culinary Tips:
--Use a large, heavy pot when making chili: choose one that holds heat well, like cast-iron, and is big enough to hold a few gallons of the stuff. Check out this quick tip to make sure your pot is ready to work!



--Sneaky veggies: oven-roasting fresh jalapeño and bell peppers is a great way to add veggies and flavor to your chili. Bonus: it's quick and easy!
--Spice it up: 1/4 cup of chili powder is no typo…as they say in Texas, if you think there's enough chili powder, it probably needs more.
---Bring your beef to room temperature to optimize browning and avoid steaming your meat, which can make things tougher than they should be.
--Dark beer adds more complexity and sweetness to chili than light beer.
--Don't rush it: the final simmer is what really brings the flavors of this dish together, so low and slow is the way to go!
--Fabio's chili recipe has no beans, but if you decide to add them, be sure to drain canned beans for reduced sodium.
--Chili is almost always better the next day, but if you can't resist eating it immediately, be sure to make a big batch so you can enjoy it for several meals!



THE ULTIMATE BEEF CHILI
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 green bell pepper, cored and quartered
1 red bell pepper, cored and quartered
1 orange bell pepper, cored and quartered
2 jalapeños, de-seeded and sliced
light olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 lbs. extra lean ground beef, room temperature
kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper
1 12 oz. bottle or can of dark beer
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
¼ cup chili powder
1 tbsp. dried basil
2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 small can tomato paste
1 quart beef broth
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Method:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Toss the bell peppers and jalapeños with a little light olive oil.
Place on a foil lined sheet tray and oven-roast, until browned and soft.
Allow the peppers to cool before chopping into a small dice.
Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat, and brown onions in light olive oil.
Add room-temperature ground beef in small amounts to the browned onions.
Season with salt and pepper, and stir to incorporate.
Brown the beef, stirring often. Once the beef is browned, deglaze the pan with beer while scraping the bottom of the pan.
Lower the heat to medium, and reduce for 10-15 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone.
Add the chopped roasted peppers and stir to combine.
Add chopped garlic, chili powder, cumin and basil, and stir to combine.
Add tomato paste and stir to combine.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir.
Add the diced tomatoes and stock to the pot and stir thoroughly.
Lower the heat to medium-low, and allow chili to simmer for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
To serve, ladle into serving bowls and garnish with chopped onion, cheddar cheese, chopped jalepenos, and/or sour cream, as desired.
Serve with grilled bread.

MANGIA!

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