This chili recipe takes like a steak chopped up in a bowl. It’s made with ground beef, but adding the Worcestershire sauce gives this a unique steak house flavor. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 Slices smoke flavored bacon, chopped
• 2 Pounds ground beef
• 1/4 Cup chili powder
• 1 Large onion. finely chopped
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Cup kitchen ready tomato sauce (any red sauce will do in a pinch)
• 1/3 Cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 Cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons hot sauce*
• 2 Cups beef stock
• S&P
• Sour Cream for garnish
• Chopped fresh chives for garnish
• Chopped onion for garnish
• Chopped chives
• Grated cheddar, Mexican blend, or Monterey Jack  cheese for garnish

Directions:

In a medium sized sauce pan, heat the oil and add the chopped bacon and cook until it has rendered all the fat. Add the beef and cook until it’s browned. Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, and a little salt and pepper. Cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and hot sauce. Add this to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Then, add the beef stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook at least 10-20 minutes until it thickens a little.

Serve in bowls topped with your favorite garnish. Our image shows the steak chili (below) served over spaghetti squash.  It’s also great in a squash bowl, or over polenta or white rice.

Why Not Make It With Steak?

This recipe can just as easily be done with steak and it makes it a real treat. Just substitute the ground beef with the same amount of stew beef, chuck roast or even London Broil. It does take longer to cook, but it’s well worth it. 

Here’s the process when you use steak. It’s just a little different than above:

In a medium sized sauce pan, heat the oil and add the chopped bacon and cook until it has rendered all the fat. Remove any fat and silver skin from the beef then cut into large 2 or 3 inch chunks. Add the chunks of beef to the fat and cook until it’s browned on all sides. Remove it from the pan and cut up into 1/2 inch bite sized pieces. Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, and a little salt and pepper. Cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Then add the beef back in.

In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and hot sauce. Add this to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Then, add the beef stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a loose fitting lid and cook at least 90 to 120 minutes until the meat is tender.

Garnish with chopped onions, sour cream, shredded cheese and/or chives.

• About the hot sauce:

We use Franks and two tablespoons makes the chili “somewhat hot”. If you are using Tabasco or Siracha I would suggest going a little easier. You can always add more at the table if you want it hot.