Beef Sirloin & Pork Sausage Garden Chili

A Chili Story: From Freezer Faux Pas to Flavor Fiesta

Let me tell you about the day my carefully planned chili recipe took an unexpected turn. I envisioned a cozy evening, the aroma of simmering chili filling my kitchen, a classic comfort food. I’d already visualized the perfectly chopped vegetables, ready to be tossed into my trusty crock-pot. The only problem? I’d completely overlooked a crucial ingredient – the ground beef! A quick peek into the freezer revealed a stark truth: I was out. All I had was a rather expensive cut of beef sirloin chuck and some ground pork sausage. My heart sank slightly; this wasn't exactly what I had planned. But, being the resourceful home cook I am, I decided to embrace the challenge and see where this culinary detour might lead.

Instead of abandoning my chili dreams, I decided to improvise. I still chopped my beloved vegetables – the red and yellow onions, vibrant peppers in every shade, juicy tomatoes, and fresh chives. The foundation of my chili was laid. Next, I cooked the sirloin and sausage separately, adding a generous dose of chili powder to the beef to infuse it with bold flavor. Once cooked, I broke the meat into bite-sized pieces – making sure they weren't too small. Then came the magic of blending flavors. I mixed my tomato sauce with a blend of chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and seasoned salt. The beautiful aroma filled my kitchen! After adding my beans and meticulously strained meat, I poured in the magical tomato mixture. And just to add some spice, I added a bit of my favorite hot sauce. I had created something truly special and so unexpected!

The result? One of the best crock-pot chilis I've ever made! The sirloin's richness complemented the savory pork sausage perfectly, creating a depth of flavor that far surpassed my original plan. The vegetables, cooked low and slow, retained their sweetness and texture. The spices danced on my palate, creating a harmonious blend of warmth and zest. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: sometimes, the most delicious dishes are born from unexpected twists and turns. Don't be afraid to experiment! Don't be afraid to deviate from the plan! Sometimes a missing ingredient can open up a whole new world of culinary delight!

Ingredients I Used:

• 1 can black beans (drained)
• 1 pound beef sirloin (fried with 3 tbsp chili powder)
• 1 pound sausage (fried and chopped)
• 2 jars spaghetti sauce (meat or vegetable flavor)
• 2 large tomatoes (beefsteak or vine, seeded and finely chopped)
• 1 large fresh green pepper (finely chopped)
• 1 medium fresh sweet red pepper (finely chopped)
• 1 medium fresh sweet yellow pepper (finely chopped)
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 large red onion (finely chopped)
• 1 bunch fresh basil (optional, finely chopped)
• 1 can tomato sauce (mixed with seasonings)
• 4 tablespoons chili powder (mixed in tomato sauce)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (mixed in tomato sauce)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (mixed in tomato sauce)
• 1/2 tablespoon salt (mixed in tomato sauce)
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt (mixed in tomato sauce)
• 1 medium yellow pepper (chopped finely)
• 2 regular chili peppers (optional, if you like it spicy)
• 1/4 cup red devil hot sauce (optional, if you like it spicy)
• 1 can kidney beans (drained)
• 1 can chili beans (drained)
• 1 can navy beans (drained)

Step-by-step

• Get a LARGE crock pot, and get it ready by adding at least one jar of spaghetti sauce to the bottom of it.
• Start by chopping your garden (or store bought) vegetables such as your red and yellow onions, yellow, red, green and orange peppers, as well as your tomatoes and fresh chives (if you have chosen to use them). If you chose to have the spicy version also chop your chili peppers now.
• Add all your chopped vegetables to the crock pot.
• Start cooking your ground sausage and chuck beef sirloin on Medium heat on the stove top. I chose to cook them in separate pans, but to save time and dishes you could use one large pan. Add 3 Tablespoons of Chili powder to the sirloin (If you like it, you could add Chili seasoning instead of powder).
• Break up both meats into small bite-size chunks - not too small, and cover with a lid, letting simmer on medium-low heat.
• In a small bowl, mix your Tomato sauce with your seasonings. I used Chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and season salt. Mix well and set aside.
• Open and add your beans to the crock pot.
• Check on your meat, stirring to ensure even cooked meat, and meat that is chopped to your liking.
• After meat is mostly cooked (as some cooking will occur in the next 5 hours in the crock pot), dump meat in a strainer to get rid of the fat. After removing grease, pour meat in crock pot and add your tomato sauce and seasoning mixture, and stir. Add the rest of needed spaghetti sauce according to your likeness (some like it thick and some like it thin). If you chose to have the spicy version add your hot sauce as well.
• Cook on high for 3 hours stirring once or twice, then drop the temperature down to low and let cook another 2-2 1/2 hours.
• Eat.