Dad's Keto Chili

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Low-carb, meaty, delicious.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chili, Keto, meat, vegetables

Total Time 3

Servings servings

Calories 381kcal

Author Dad

Equipment

1 Dutch oven or other large pot You'll need a five-quart minimum capacity.

Ingredients

Foundation

1 lb ground beef When we make a special dish with meat, we always use something from our Butcher Box delivery. Ask us about BB.
1 lb ground pork
1 large yellow onion
2 stalks celery
1 large green bell pepper
1 tbsp garlic, minced

Flavorings

3 tbsp Dad's Chili Spice Mix 2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp dried coriander, 1 tsp dried cumin, 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper. Or. 2-3 tbsp packaged taco spice or to taste.
2 tbsp tomato paste
16 oz salsa Use your favorite salsa-in-a-jar or fresh from the deli.
3 cups chicken bone broth, stock, or broth Bone broth is our rich and tastiest choice since we've ditched the beer in this recipe.
1 tsp Konjac flour Wait, what? Make friends with this.
2 packets Stevia in the Raw® sweetener Or more, if you need it. Sweet is great; sugar is not.

Garnishes per serving

1 tbsp green onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sour cream On Keto, it's full-fat sour cream all the way!
¼ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese Make sure it's sharp or extra sharp white or yellow cheddar.

Instructions

Building the foundation

I create a "Cajun holy trinity" (look it up) of onion, celery, and green bell pepper as my foundation. In your Dutch oven, sauté diced onion, celery, and pepper together in butter and olive oil —1 tbsp each—for 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring often and sprinkling one-half teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Don't let them burn, just let them get very soft and translucent. When they get this way, add minced garlic, stir in, and cook for another minute. Then, remove the mix with a spider or slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving behind as much of the liquid as you can.
1 large yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 large green bell pepper, 1 tbsp garlic, minced
Add the meat(s) to the hot pan, breaking the big chunks into tiny bits and stirring frequently. Increase heat if necessary to get a good sizzle going. Sauté until there's no pink left and little areas of browning are starting to show. You are trying to boil off the water in the meat and produce a bit of charring for flavor.
1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground pork

Building the flavor

Start by adding back the vegetables and lowering heat to medium.
To build flavor, add these ingredients in this order, stirring in each one thoroughly: spice mix, tomato paste, salsa, Stevia, and chicken broth and/or water to completely cover the mixture.
3 tbsp Dad's Chili Spice Mix, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 16 oz salsa, 3 cups chicken bone broth, stock, or broth, 2 packets Stevia in the Raw® sweetener
Cover your pot and simmer 2 hours, stirring things up every half-hour. Then, remove the lid and check the thickness. If too thick, add a little broth or water. If too watery (more likely), continue to simmer with the lid off for 30 another minutes. Check again. Repeat till it looks the way you like it. Turn off the heat and let your chili rest for 20 minutes. It's been under a lot of pressure. Evenly sprinkle the Konjac and stir in. It needs a few minutes to activate. Check the thickness and add more only if really needed. A little Konjac goes a long way. Too much...you don't want to know.
1 tsp Konjac flour

Garnish and serve

I use a half-cup ladle to serve the chili into bowls. A half-cup with garnishes is plenty for me, but maybe not for you. I love to garnish with a large pinch of finely diced green onion, about a quarter-cup of shredded sharp cheddar, and a dollop (whatever that means to you) of full-fat sour cream. This is just heavenly. And remember, however good it tastes now; it will be better tomorrow. Hasta mañana!

Notes

First, my suggestion is to try and follow this recipe exactly at least once and then modify it to your heart's content. I say this because here on DRB, we love experimenting and rarely do a dish exactly the same thing twice. But this chili as Keto-ized was so good, I think you'll be happy with it.

Second, having urged strictly following the recipe, I think that 2 lbs of any combo of meat or other protein source—like Beyond Meat product—is totally fine. After all, even on Keto, flavor reigns supreme. I used half-and-half high-quality ground beef and ground pork, but in past chilis I've used ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground lamb in combination with another meat or alone. Ground goat, anyone?

Third, I highly recommend adding the Stevia sweetener which elevates the taste to another level. I love Stevia in the Raw® packets for cooking and even baking. They always add and never detract, unless you use too much.

Finally, know that any of the chili recipes here on DRB are always better the second and third days! Be patient and you won't be sorry. Oh yeah, and it freezes really well in a tightly-sealed container.

Bonus: For the less than fully committed, add a cup of frozen corn at the end of cooking and heat through before adding the Konjac thickener. This adds even more flavor and a nice texture bonus and won't absolutely destroy your good Keto intentions, especially if control your portion.

Nutrition