The Ultimate Comfort Food: Chili and Cornbread
- belindaodell
- Jan 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Why Chili is Perfect for Cold Days
Chili is more than just a meal; it's a comforting hug in a bowl. When the weather turns cold, there's nothing quite like a steaming pot of chili to warm you up. The rich flavors, combined with the heartiness of the ingredients, make it a perfect choice for chilly days.
The Magic of Roasted Vegetables
Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness. In this chili recipe, we use a variety of vegetables to enhance the flavor profile. The caramelization process adds depth and richness that you won't find in regular chili.
Ingredients for Caramelized Chili
2 pounds ground beef
3 cans diced tomatoes or frozen tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans
1 can tomato paste
2 packs of chili seasonings (I prefer hot)
Roasted Caramelized Vegetables:
4-5 Roma Tomatoes
1 large onion
6 sweet peppers
6 jalapenos
1 bulb garlic
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions for Caramelized Chili
Preheat the oven to ROAST at 400 degrees.
Slice and chop tomatoes, sweet peppers, jalapenos (seeds removed), and onion into small chunks (1/2-1" chunks). Spread on a cookie sheet covered with silicone or parchment.
Wrap the garlic bulb in aluminum foil and place it on the cookie sheet with the vegetables.
Brush the vegetables with olive oil.
Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, black pepper, white pepper, and oregano on the vegetables.
Roast in the oven for about an hour at 400 degrees until caramelized. Stir the vegetables halfway through to caramelize on all sides.
While the vegetables are roasting, brown the ground beef in a large cast iron pot.
Add canned or frozen tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato paste, and packets of chili seasonings.
Simmer and stir often while the vegetables are roasting in the oven.
10. Remove the vegetables from the oven when caramelized. Unwrap the garlic from aluminum foil, cut one end, and squeeze garlic into the pot of chili. Add caramelized vegetables to the ground beef mixture and simmer for 30 minutes.
Southern Cornbread with Lard
This Southern Cornbread made with homemade lard by Harvest Eating goes perfectly with chili. We love the crispy bottom and sides produced by cooking the batter in a cast iron skillet prior to baking cornbread in the oven. This recipe uses lard, duck fat, or beef tallow. (Note: Using shortening or butter will not produce the exquisite taste of this cornbread.)
Ingredients for Cornbread
5 tbsp lard, melted in an 8-inch cast iron skillet. (You will use the skillet to cook the cornbread in the oven, also.)
2 cups medium grind cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cup buttermilk (You can make buttermilk by adding 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar to whole milk and letting it set for a few minutes while you mix dry ingredients.)
1 large egg
Instructions for Cornbread
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients with a mixer or a whisk (cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar).
Mix the large egg with buttermilk.
Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients for two minutes.
Add 2 tbsp melted lard to the mixture.
Pour the cornmeal batter into the skillet with the remaining melted lard, place on the stove over medium heat, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until you see a little color start appearing on the edges. At that point, place the skillet in the preheated oven for exactly 13 minutes.
Let it cool for 20 minutes.
Serve with butter along with a hot bowl of chili.
Optional Toppings
Add your favorite toppings: grated cheese, chopped onions, pickled jalapenos, crispy fried onions, etc.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoy this great chili and cornbread combination on your next cold weather day. It is sure to warm you on the coldest day!
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