Chili (Ground Beef and Italian Sausage with Bacon)

mybestchili This recipe for My Best Chili is a major favourite around here! It’s a hearty, warming chili made with ground beef, bacon, sausage, and just the right amount of kick.

2 lbs ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
½ lb bacon
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups beef stock
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. ground paprika

To Serve:
freshly shredded cheese
sour cream or Greek yogurt
sliced green onions

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.

In a different pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Crumble and add to stock pot. Cook the chopped onion and pepper in the bacon drippings for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add to the stock pot.

To the stock pot, add in the drained beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef stock. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, basil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

After 2 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste.

Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day. Serve with cheese, onions, sour cream, or whichever chili toppings you prefer.

Makes 8 servings.

Cook's Notes:

I used to use 1 cup of beer and 1 cup of concentrated beef stock (water + 4 boullion cubes), but now I use all beef stock to keep it gluten-free. Use the beer if gluten doesn’t matter to you.
Storage: To store your chili, allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, place it into an airtight container (or divide it into multiple containers) and store it in the fridge for up to four days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to six months.