READY IN 6+ hrs

The Ultimate Chili

Read Reviews (215)

"Easy recipe with little preparation time. This can also be made with ground turkey, and it tastes even better the next day!" — Wendy

Directions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until evenly browned. Drain off grease, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a slow cooker, combine the cooked beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, celery, red bell pepper, and red wine vinegar. Season with chili powder, cumin, parsley, basil and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
Cook on High for 6 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Pour in the wine during the last 2 hours.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 6 hrs 10 mins
READY IN 6 hrs 20 mins

Footnotes

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 31, 2004

Very good Chili! Unfortunately, it was missing the "kick" my husband I love. So, I added the following ingredients and if you like it spicy try adding these: 2T Garlic Powder, 1T Cayenne Pepper, 1T Salt, 3T Brown Sugar, 2T Honey, and 1T of extra Chili Powder. Oh yeah, a suggestion to thicken up the chili is to use 2T of Corn Starch with 4T Water. Hats off to Wendy for creating this dish.

—Jill

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Feb 16, 2011

Wasn't a big fan of this one, and I have made more than a few batches of chili in my day. I think the red wine vinegar was not a good addition and that this recipe could benefit from some more spice/ingredients. The red wine addition wasn't bad, but it could not save this chili by itself. Mine came kind of sweet and spicy, but something about the aftertaste just didn't settle with me. Also, use diced tomatoes instead of stewed, unless you like tomato quarters floating around in your chili.

—Crabby0525

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291 Ratings

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Oct 04, 2005

I have been using this chili recipe for a year now, and it's been accidentally tweaked (I was too lazy to write this down and my printer was out of ink and I lost the original copy I had printed) I never use as much vinegar as the recipe calls for anymore (2 tablespoons is plenty) and I add more than a dash of worcestershire. Also, I never addedthe red wine since I havent found one I like cooking with that isnt expensive. When I brown the beef, I usually use up whatever onion and garlic I have left in my fridge and I have omitted the celery and bell pepper before (I have also added more than the recipe calls for the empty out my fridge) All in all, this is a great recipe, and especially good when it's been sitting in the fridge a day or two.

—Niki M

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Mar 03, 2004

The wine is what makes this so outstanding. I have made this several times and I thought I just have to let my fellow cookers know how good this is. I added onions, minced garlic and a small can of green chili peppers at the same time I added the other ingredients. Try this, you'll like it.

—MYBAYHOUSE

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Oct 29, 2006

With some additions, this is a nice chili. I HAD to have onion in my chili so sauteed, on the stovetop, 1-1/2 onions (what I had on hand), and added it to the mixture. Also added cayenne pepper, 3 fresh garlic cloves and 1T garlic powder, 1 or 2tsp salt, 2T brown sugar, and a 4oz can of diced green chiles. Went with the advice of another reviewer who wanted to kick it up for spiciness, but her recommendations were WAY too high when she suggested adding 1T cayenne pepper. I used 1tsp and it was way too hot, and we like spicy food. Next time, I'd bring it down to 1/4 to 1/2tsp. I drained my beans, and so did not find the chili was soupy as some experienced, but as a result of the too-spicy effect, I did add 3 extra cans of beans and a medium can of tomato paste to tame it a little. I recommend "squishing" the tomatoes as they don't break down in the crockpot process. I did use black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans for a little variety and that was a nice touch. The red wine addition added such a nice flavor to the dish. Served with French Baguette from allrecipes and had a lemon sorbet for dessert with a touch of lemoncello to cool off our palates! ;-) Thank you, Wendy!

—LADYJAYPEE

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Jul 27, 2004

I have learned from making chili recipes off this site that I do not care for the taste of red wine vinegar - to tangy for chili - personal preference - depends on what kind of chili you like - I like spicy and meaty tasting chili - not tangy.

—CHEFBROOKS

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Aug 28, 2005

I knew this chili was going to be good because it has cumin in it. That ingredient, in my opinion, is a must for good chili (the basil also added a little something extra). I do not think more meat is necessary at all. 1LB of meat is plenty & this recipe has a nice soupy consistency. I omitted the celery & the red wine vinegar (didn't have any). I added 1 onion, 3 cloves of garlic, & 1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper (for a little heat). This chili is delicious & will offer a nice alternative to my meatier chili recipe this coming winter. (lil hint: I normally squish stewed tomatoes thru my fingers to break them up before adding them to the pot. I thought the slow cooker would take care of that but I was wrong so will presquish next time)

—BAMATT

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Feb 19, 2003

My first time making chili! Thanks for the easy recipe, the flavor was fantastic. The only changes I made was 1 can kidney beans, 1 can black bean, 1 can pinto beans, just to mix it up. The texture was a little soupy, anyone have ideas on how to thicken it up? Otherwise excellent recipe!

—CDG925

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Nutrition

Calories
414 kcal
21%

Carbohydrates
49.5 g
16%

Cholesterol
50 mg
17%

Fat
11.1 g
17%

Fiber
16.7 g
67%

Protein
28.4 g
57%

Sodium
1015 mg
41%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

The Ultimate Chili

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 414
Calories from Fat: 99

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11.1g 17 %
** Saturated Fat 3.8g 19 %
Cholesterol 50mg 17 %
Sodium 1015mg 41 %
** Potassium 790mg 22 %
Total Carbohydrates 49.5g 16 %
Dietary Fiber 16.7g 67 %
Protein 28.4g 57 %
** Sugars 8.9g
Vitamin A 37 %
Vitamin C 74 %
Calcium 21 %
Iron 81 %
** Thiamin 28 %
** Niacin 61 %
** Vitamin B6 24 %
** Magnesium 18 %
** Folate 18 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.