Easy Dutch Oven Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it okay to make chili in a cast iron Dutch oven? ›

Dutch Oven Chili Recipe. This stovetop Dutch Oven Chili is hearty, rich, and full of flavor. The bacon, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce add a delicious smokiness. This recipe will work with an enameled or cast iron dutch oven.

For making great chili, it's a tie between the Dutch oven and the multi-cooker in slow-cook mode. Each requires some tweaking in the cooking methods, though. The Dutch oven chili had the best aroma, heat, and flavor, but it looked less than appetizing due to its dry texture. And the longer it sat, the thicker it got.

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

The cast iron pot/dutch oven is great for chili. It should be well-seasoned, so you won't get corrosion due to tomatoes in any significant way. The reason why it's suited so well is that it retains heat, so browning meat (esp for chunked instead of ground), initially, works well.

Raw cast iron needs to be seasoned to make it nonstick and rust-resistant, while enameled Dutch ovens are somewhat nonstick and protected out of the box. High-quality enamel coatings are expensive, which is why enameled Dutch ovens cost more than their standard cast iron counterparts.

And while there are plenty of sizes to choose from, like oval Dutch ovens, or shallow Dutch ovens, Cimarusti prefers the classic Le Creuset 5.5-quart Dutch oven. “The attention to detail is just great,” he says. If a Michelin-starred chef uses one everyday, it's worth adding to your kitchen.

Versatility: Dutch Ovens are way more versatile than Slow Cookers. Not only can you make stews like you could in a Slow Cooker, but you can also bake bread, build a pasta sauce, sear meat, sauté vegetables, and plenty more.

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

However, keep in mind that acidic ingredients like tomatoes in chili can sometimes react with the iron, so it's recommended to use well-seasoned or enameled cast iron to minimize any metallic taste.

Myth #1: You should never cook tomatoes and other acidic foods in cast iron. A well-seasoned pan can handle acidic foods with impunity.

No matter the style or size, any Dutch oven will open up endless recipe opportunities. Create beautifully braised meat, pot roasts, hearty beef stew, healing chicken soup, or the creamiest mac and cheese. Use it like a slow cooker, a bread cloche, or a pot for frying.

“A Dutch Oven is the original Slow Cooker,” Chef Julia Sullivan of Henrietta Red says. It's true. Electric Slow Cookers and Dutch Ovens are designed to cook the same way: low and slow.

Slow cooker: Uses electricity to generate heat, typically from the base, surrounding the food with a gentle, consistent warmth. Dutch oven: Can be used on a stovetop or in an oven. The cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly, making it suitable for both searing and slow cooking.