Peanut Butter Chili

I have been making chili for eons.  It’s probably the thing I have cooked most in my life, but Ryan has always joked that no two chilis of mine were the same.  I have never worked from a recipe.  I always just start slinging things in a pot.  But, there has been consistency between bowls in that I 1) always use a combo of stew meat and ground beef 2) red diced peppers and 3) a heaping glob of peanut butter.

Peanut butter in chili!?!  Oh yes, it’s what gives it a little extra creaminess and the nuts round out for a more complex flavor.  Try it, you’ll like it!  One note of caution, though.  Peanuts are a known allergen and can be deadly if served unsuspectingly to someone who’s allergic.  So, don’t go surprising people if they’re allergic to peanuts, please.

Finally, after all of these years of chili with peanut butter in it, I committed to the task of recording and tweaking my classic chili so I could publish this recipe once and for all.  Ryan’s taste test confirmed this was my best batch yet.  Fair warning, though, this makes a massive pot’s worth.  I served 6 for dinner with it and still had enough to freeze for a later date.

(Full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.)

Start by browning 16 ounces of chopped stew beef and 16 ounces ground beef.  It’s easiest to do this in batches.  Once browned, drain the fat and set aside.

Next, add 1 Tbs oil to a large pot over medium high heat and add in 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper and 1/2 a red onion, all diced.  Sauté until softened, then add in 1/4 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt, 1 T paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 T chile powder, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper and 1 tsp ground cumin.  Mix the veggies and the spices together until combined.  Turn down the heat to medium low and cover the pot, letting the spices seep into the veggies for 5 minutes.

Then, add in 1/4 cup of peanut butter, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 7 ounces diced green chiles, 6 ounces tomato paste, 3 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt.   Stir to mix, then crank up the heat to medium high and replace the lid until the soup comes to a slow boil.

Let it sit at least an hour, simmering away, letting the flavors intensify and the beef soften.  Certainly feel free to leave this simmering all day, though.  I left mine for 8 hours on this rendition and by dinner time, it was complex, dark and the beef was fork tender.

Be sure to add salt as it’s needed throughout the cooking process.  Be sure to taste it and if it needs extra salt, please add!

Serve this up with your preferred regional variation of chili toppings.  Some folks sour cream, others oyster crackers.  I love shredded cheddar.  Enjoy!

Nutty Chili

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Joanie Simon
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

A classic red chili with beef.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 16 ounces beef stew meat chopped
• 16 ounces ground beef
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 1/4 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt
• 1 T paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 T chile powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 7 ounces canned diced green chiles
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp salt

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Instructions

1. Start by browning 16 ounces of chopped stew beef and 16 ounces ground beef. It’s easiest to do this in batches. Once browned, drain the fat and set aside.
2. Next, add 1 Tbs oil to a large pot over medium high heat and add in 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper and 1/2 a red onion, all diced. Sauté until softened, then add in 1/4 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt, 1 T paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 T chile powder, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper and 1 tsp ground cumin. Mix the veggies and the spices together until combined. Turn down the heat to medium low and cover the pot, letting the spices seep into the veggies for 5 minutes.
3. Then, add in 1/4 cup of peanut butter, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 7 ounces diced green chiles, 6 ounces tomato paste, 3 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt. Stir to mix, then crank up the heat to medium high and replace the lid until the soup comes to a slow boil.Let it sit at least an hour, simmering away, letting the flavors intensify and the beef soften. Certainly feel free to leave this simmering all day, though. I left mine for 8 hours on this rendition and by dinner time, it was complex, dark and the beef was fork tender.
4. Be sure to add salt as it’s needed throughout the cooking process. Be sure to taste it and if it needs extra salt, please add!
5. Serve this up with your preferred regional variation of chili toppings. Some folks sour cream, others oyster crackers. I love shredded cheddar.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: soup
• Cuisine: American

*Original recipe by Joanie Simon (JoanieSimon.com)