Grilled Round Steak Chili

Well, frost was on the pumpkin last weekend and it was time to make something warm for dinner and lunches during the week.  Amazingly, I realized that I did not make chili last year.  So, I decided to rectify that problem.

Usually, for a meat source I use ground round, or sometimes leftover brisket.  This time, I decided to use grilled round steak that my butcher had on sale.  I rinsed, dried, and seasoned both sides with Montreal Steak Seasoning.

I fired up the grill and got it screaming hot.  Then, I just grilled the steak until it had some nice grill marks, about 3 minutes a side.

When done, I brought it inside and let it rest while I prepared everything else.

Here is my base chili recipe.  It usually changes each time I make it, but this is the base:

Base Chili Recipe

1 Small Onion, diced
1 Bell Pepper, diced
2 Jalapeño Peppers, sliced
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
1 can ea Dark Kidney and Black Beans, do not drain
1 13 oz container of Crushed Tomatoes
1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 15 oz can of Water
1 16 oz bottle of Hot Picante
1 12 oz beer.  No Crudweiser here.  We use Yeungling Lager (full bodied, brown, complex flavors)

Sauté the onion through the minced garlic in the olive oil.  I do so on low heat so that I start to get caramelization.

When the peppers and onions are where you want them, add the dry ingredients, stir well, and continue to sauté for about 1-2 minutes.  The olive oil and heat will activate the natural oils in the spices bringing out their flavors while simmering.

Then, add the rest of the ingredients and raise the heat to bring to a boil.

While this mixture was heating, I cubed the round steak and added to the simmering pot.

I simmered with the lid cracked so that the chili would reduce and thicken.  For me, I am happy after about three hours of simmer time.

I always serve me chili with a skillet of homemade corn bread.

Chili toppings are a personal thing.  I top mine with cheese, diced onion, a dollop of sour cream, and some crushed tortilla chips.

This is a nice stick to your ribs meal on a cold day.  I can't wait to make my next pot.  Every pot of chili is an experiment in flavor.

Thanks for stopping by,

Bill