Tom Otto’s 5-ingredient Chili

On a cold, rainy day in Abilene, Kansas, Barry mixed up a batch of Tom Otto’s Chili. Tom made a big batch of his recipe on another cold, rainy February day and then hosted an informal gathering at his condo in New Braunfels, Texas. Tom's  chili really hit the spot and he told us, “The recipe is really easy.” With just five ingredients, it really is easy and it's hearty flavor comes from the slow simmering of seasoned chili beans and tomatoes. 

Tom Otto’s 5-ingredient Chili
l lb. ground beef (we used lean)
1 diced onion
1 (15.5 oz.) can kidney beans
2 (15.5 oz.) cans chili beans (mild or medium)
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel® tomatoes w/green chili, original
(Kosher salt as needed -- we added a little salt partway through the cooking period) 

1. Brown ground beef and onions, drain if needed. Break up ground beef as it cooks.
   
2. Then add rest of ingredients.
   
3. Simmer 4-6 hours. Taste and add salt if needed.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Tom Otto’s 5-ingredient Chili
l lb. ground beef (we used lean)
1 diced onion
1 (15.5 oz.) can kidney beans
2 (15.5 oz.) cans chili beans (mild or medium)
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel® tomatoes w/green chili, original
(Kosher salt as needed -- we added a little salt partway through the cooking period) 

1. Brown ground beef and onions, drain if needed. Break up ground beef as it cooks.
2. Then add rest of ingredients.
3. Simmer 4-6 hours. Taste and add salt if needed.

His Chili - Barry’s version!

     Barry adds more liquid to his chili (than I do) giving it more of a thickened soup-like consistency. And, he even wrote down the ingredients (well, kind of ) as he prepared this batch.

     Hit the spot on a chilly fall evening and the freshly grated cheese and chopped onions were a nice addition.

    

Barry’s Chili

1 onion, diced

Olive oil

1teaspoon minced garlic

¾ to 1 lb. lean ground beef

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 ½ teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon chili-cumin-garlic blend (or use additional amounts of the separate seasonings)

2 cups beef stock

¼ cup white wine or use additional beef stock or even water

2 (15.5 oz.) cans chili beans

1 (15.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1.     In a stock pot, sauté onion in a little olive oil until tender; add mince garlic and then ground beef. Cook on medium heat until beef loses pink color.

2.     Sprinkle in flour and seasonings and thoroughly blend.

3.     Stir in beef stock and wine.

4.     Add beans and tomatoes and let mixture simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check flavor and add additional seasoning to suit your taste.

He served his chili with grated cheese, chopped onions and seasoned crackers.

Related chili recipes:

Her Chili

Seasoned Crackers

Her Chili – Helen Frieze’s Recipe

Helen's Chili topped with cheese and onions; served with Seasoned Crackers.
By the way, this is one of Barry's hand-thrown pottery soup bowls.

    You might say we have “his and her” chili at our house. When it’s my turn to make it, I pull out Helen Frieze’s quick-to-make recipe for thick, spicy chili that is sure to warm you up on a crisp fall day or during a cold winter evening.

    Helen taught Home Economics in Wichita and although I knew her, she did not give me the recipe. In fact, the recipe came from Judy Burgess who grew up in Wichita. Seems that the Burgess and Frieze families were friends and so I actually received the recipe indirectly. So now when I make this chili, I not only think of Helen but of Judy as well.

     So, here’s Helen’s chili. Barry has his own thoughts – his contains more ingredients and is much soupier, but I have to admit, just as good. Perhaps, his version will end up on the blog . . . but that’s always a bit tricky, as he never follows a recipe. Although it is always consistently good, he varies it just a little each time.  
    And, the good news . . . he did make a batch and even wrote down the ingredients -- see His Chili link.

Helen’s Chili    6 to 8 servings

(To stretch the chili, increase the can size of tomatoes &/or beans called for in the recipe.)

2 lbs. lean group beef

2 onions, diced – approximately 1 cup              

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour                   

2 (15 oz.) cans tomatoes (crushed or diced) or substitute 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes in place of the one of the cans

2 (15 oz.) cans chili beans, undrained – sometimes I use spicy chili beans and then cut down on chili powder (only because others often object to the fire!)

1. In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef and onions; add salt and pepper.

2. When nicely browned, stir in the chili powder, garlic powder and flour.

3. Add the tomatoes and chili beans and simmer on low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes or longer. Water or tomato juice may need to be added if the chili is simmered longer.