Baked Chili
This main dish is wonderful the first day and also makes outstanding leftovers. As a student living on my own, I love savory one-pot suppers like this that provide several days of tasty meals.
This main dish is wonderful the first day and also makes outstanding leftovers. As a student living on my own, I love savory one-pot suppers like this that provide several days of tasty meals.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 16 oz kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 15 1/4 oz whole kernel corn drained
- 14 1/2 oz hunt'sâ® diced tomatoes undrained 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
- corn bread biscuits:
- Carbohydrate 59.5406015944817 g
- Cholesterol 68.3417056198322 mg
- Fat 13.3136871851464 g
- Fiber 8.17485242491643 g
- Protein 22.1037208375413 g
- Saturated Fat 5.06904407533127 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (408g)
- Sodium 983.942628743111 mg
- Sugar 51.3657491695652 g
- Trans Fat 1.63214000438306 g
- Calories 437 calories
Step-by-step
- In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, over medium heat, cook beef, onion and green pepper until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat egg, milk and sour cream until smooth; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Transfer chili to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto hot chili. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15-17 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned.
Starch thickeners alter the viscosity of chili significantly, meaning that swapping cornmeal for all-purpose flour in the biscuit topping requires adjusting the liquid ratios or accepting a denser crumb. Ground beef releases considerable rendered fat during initial browning; draining the meat before incorporating the tomatoes prevents the sauce from separating during the 400-degree bake. When substituting canned kidney beans with dried varieties, ensure they are fully pre-cooked, because raw legumes will not soften in the acidic tomato sauce.
A heavy cast-iron Dutch oven distributes heat evenly across the base during the initial simmer, preventing the tomato sauce from scorching on the bottom. If a Dutch oven is unavailable, any heavy-bottomed soup kettle works provided the burner maintains a steady medium heat. Transferring the mixture to a standard 13-by-9-inch baking dish before dropping the batter ensures the biscuits receive adequate direct oven heat for proper rising.
Mixing the wet ingredients into the dry elements just until moistened avoids gluten development that toughens the biscuit topping. Overworking this batter yields dense, chewy dumplings rather than tender, light biscuits that absorb the savory broth beneath them. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the hot chili so the biscuits begin cooking from the bottom up immediately upon entering the oven.
Bake uncovered for 15 to 17 minutes until the biscuit tops achieve a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Leftovers store safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and the flavors often improve after twenty-four hours as the starches hydrate further. Reheat individual portions thoroughly on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming throughout before serving.
