My grandmother’s favorite Southwest chili came with a familiar phone call. Whenever she decided she wanted to make it, she would call me in Texas and ask for my recipe.

After hearing just how many ingredients went into the pot, she would laugh and make me promise I would cook it for her the next time I saw her!

Honestly, I could have called it Mom’s favorite, my niece’s favorite or my husband’s favorite, too. LOL. This was a family favorite with plenty going on in every spoonful.

A Big Pot of Southwest Chili

This is my hearty, Southwest-inspired version: ground beef, a generous mixture of beans, vegetables, corn and tomatoes, with coffee, dark chocolate, beer and tequila adding layers of flavor.

It makes a large pot, so choose your stockpot accordingly. There are ten cups of cooked beans alone, before the vegetables and tomatoes go in!

I like using at least five kinds of beans, always including red kidney and pinto beans. Choose the others from what you enjoy or have available.

Grandmother’s Favorite Southwest Chili Recipe

• Type: Main dish; Southwest-inspired chili
• Prep time: About 20 minutes, with beans and corn already cooked
• Cooking time: Allow up to about 2 hours for cooking and bringing this large pot together; the final gentle simmer is at least 20 minutes.
• Yield: One large stockpot; serving count depends on portions
• Serve with: French or Italian bread, or sweet cornbread

Before you begin: Cook dried beans and corn separately if needed. Their preparation time is additional.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 2 cups sliced celery
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped bell peppers, any color
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans tomato paste, using your usual small cans
• 2 large cans whole tomatoes, 28 fluid ounces each, with their juice; or equivalent jars
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee
• 20 grams dark, semisweet or unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 bottle beer
• 2 shots tequila
• 10 cups cooked beans, including red kidney and pinto beans; use a mixture of at least five kinds if you like
• Kernels from 2 ears of corn, cooked and cut from the cobs
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning; my original choice was Tony Chachere’s
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, plus more to taste
• Water or broth, only as needed to adjust consistency

Measurement note: My original recipe did not specify the tomato-paste can size, beer bottle size or shot measure. Use the quantities you normally use for this recipe; these are not newly standardized measurements.

Heat note: Start with the small amount of chili powder listed, then taste and increase gradually. Seasoning blends and pure ground hot chiles differ considerably in heat.

Instructions

1. Start the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and bay leaves. Cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the aromatics. Stir in the onions and bell peppers and continue cooking until softened. Add the garlic toward the end so it does not scorch.
3. Brown the beef. In a separate frying pan, cook the ground beef until browned and cooked through, breaking it into small pieces. Drain excess rendered fat.
4. Cook the tomato paste. Add the paste to the vegetables, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Combine. Add the cooked beef and whole tomatoes with their juice. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon as you stir.
6. Add beans and corn. Stir in the cooked beans, corn, beer and tequila. Add water or broth only if the mixture is too thick to stir comfortably.
7. Season the pot. Add the black pepper, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, Cajun or Creole seasoning, chili powder, brown sugar, coffee and chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and everything is evenly combined.
8. Simmer. Bring the chili to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring regularly and scraping the bottom gently to prevent sticking. Continue until the carrots are tender and the flavors have come together. Add liquid as needed if simmering longer.
9. Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning, remembering that your seasoning blend and canned ingredients may already contain salt.
10. Add your favorite toppings. Serve with sour cream, grated cheddar and chives or cilantro, plus fresh bread or sweet cornbread.

Why Coffee and Chocolate?

They were part of the recipe Grandma heard over the phone! Along with the cinnamon and dark brown sugar, they bring another layer to this big, savory pot.

Use dark, semisweet or unsweetened chocolate rather than milk chocolate. The type you choose will affect the sweetness, so taste before adding extra sugar.

Beans, Bread and All the Extras

Cooked beans make this chili especially substantial. If you want to prepare them yourself, see How to Cook Beans From Scratch.

A piece of sweet cornbread is lovely alongside a bowl. Fresh French or Italian bread works beautifully, too, especially for the last bit of sauce.

For another meatless option, try my Veggie Chili Challenge: Vegetarian Pantry Chili. You can also explore our Soups, Stews & Chilis collection.

A Family Favorite Worth Sharing

I always thought this chili tasted even better the next day, once the flavors had time to come together. But the part that stays with me is Grandma’s laugh as the ingredient list kept growing.

Sometimes, the best answer to a long recipe is having someone you love make it for you.

What goes into your family’s favorite chili?

Be a Champion in Your Kitchen, and Eat Deliciously!