maple bourbon chili

warming, familiar, hearty, comforting.. just some of the feelings that come to mind when I think about a beautiful bowl of homemade chili. the sour cream swirled into my bowl is like the cherry on top. and maybe the crumbles of fresh cornbread, too. in an effort to build upon the comfort and warmth that a traditional chili already provides, I leaned into a few additional ingredients that happen to be some of my favorite flavor enhancers, remind me of home, and are easy to source here in virginia – maple syrup, bourbon, and sorghum syrup.

ingredients ~

• 1/2 cup bourbon

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup sorghum syrup, or molasses

• 1lb ground beef, or venison

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 1 can diced tomatoes + sauce

• 1-2 cups bone broth

• 2 green peppers, diced

• 1 whole sweet or white onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed

• 1 can corn, drained & rinsed

• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

• sea salt + black pepper to taste

Maple Bourbon Chili 

1. Heat up your dutch oven/stock pot/vessel over medium-high heat until nice & hot (aka a splash of water sizzles off the surface). Add ground beef to brown with 1-2 Tbs of butter/ghee/tallow/bacon fat/cooking fat of choice.

2. After the beef has begun to brown some, add chopped onions + bell peppers to soften. your beef should provide enough fat to continue cooking everything in, but add more butter/fat if you find that isn’t the case.

3. Once onions reach translucency (& smell delicious), add finely chopped garlic and stir in your spices (cinnamon, sea salt, black pepper, chili powder, & cumin). trust me on the cinnamon - it is a wonderful, warming addition.

4. Continue cooking until garlic becomes fragrant - this shouldn’t take long - and then add the can of diced tomatoes with sauce, rinsed beans, & rinsed corn. Stir to incorporate.

5. Add bourbon, maple syrup, & sorghum syrup, and then 1-2 cups of broth. 

6. bring up to a boil and then down to a simmer, allowing the soup to cook for 30~ minutes with the lid off.

7. Adjust spices and salt level to taste. Add more broth if you find it is too thick for your liking. Enjoy with toppings of your choice! My favs are crumbled cornbread, lots of sour cream, & cheddar cheese. 

recipe notes —

• for the quickest chili, Prep all of your chopped & canned ingredients in advance! you could have a piping hot bowl of homemade chili goodness in front of you in maybe 45 minutes. it Doesn’t get much better than that. 

• pairing ideas: tortilla chips, baked potatoes, a simple greens salad, corn fritters, sourdough grilled cheese, quesadillas.

happy cooking! xx, ava