After some thought, I’m officially convinced that there has never been a more manly dish than Paleo Chili. With its variety of meat & rich spices, this meal can satisfy even the strongest of post-CrossFit appetites . . . trust me- I used a guinea pig (thanks Marc!)

The secret to my Paleo Chili is this sweet little jar of amazing that I found one day while shopping at Albertsons. Made from 100% natural,  & paleo ingredients like tomato, green chilies, onions, vinegar, garlic and TABASCO Brand Pepper Sauce this chili starter is great for convenience and taste.

As with the Paleo Spaghetti recipe, slow-cooking is the key to making good chili. Some recipes call for 6-8 hours and if you have time that would be ideal. If not, about 2-3 hours should be good enough. The general rule of thumb, however, is that more simmering time = more flavor.

Now, I’m pretty sure if you ate this every single night, it could add up to a heart attack in a pot. Nonetheless, it makes for a great occasional dinner and even a delicious next-day lunch. Marc is obsessed with the combination of lean ground meat, bacon, sausage, tomatoes and jalapenos but then again, what guy wouldn’t be? Let’s just hope yours is nice enough to save a little bit for you.

When asked about his thoughts on the taste, Marc said “How come we don’t have this more often? Can you make this part of my rotation?”

Your rotation?!! What does this kitchen look like?!!  Someone is wayyyy too spoiled…. enjoy.

Paleo Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans Tabasco Chili Starter, Hot Flavor
• 1 Large Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Small Can Tomato Paste
• 1 Small Can of Beef Broth
• 1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
• 8 Brown & Serve Sausage Links [Note: I’ve tried several different options here, I’ve done Hot Italian Sausage, as well as cooking sausage but  I got the most compliments from Marc when I used simple brown & serve or microwaveable sausage links- luckily for me my laziness paid off. Keep in mind you plenty of flexibility.]
• 6 Thick- Cut Slices of Bacon
• Olive Oil
• ½ Onion finely chopped (Optional)
• 1 Green Bell Pepper chopped (Optional)
• Fresh Jalapenos finely chopped (Optional)
• Optional additional spices (DO NOT ADD, or only add half, of my recommended amount if you are sensitive to spicy food! If in doubt, season to taste 1 hour into cooking.)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin

Directions

1)      In a large pot or Crockpot, combine 2 cans of chili starter, diced tomatoes and beef broth on medium heat.

2)      In a frying pan, add two turns of the pan of Olive Oil. Once hot, carefully add onion and cook until almost translucent. At this point, add jalapeno and bell pepper and cook  all three for one additional minute.

3)      Add the sautéed vegetables to the chili mixture.

4)      In a large frying pan, brown the ground meat. Once browned, drain the meat and add it to the chili mixture.

5)      Begin cooking bacon and sausage (separately). Once done, cool the meats on a paper towel. When cool, tear or cut bacon and sausage links into small bits and add them to the chili mixture.

6) Add any additional spices at this point and wait one hour to taste.

7) Simmer for at least 2-3 hours. At the beginning of the last hour, add in the tomato paste.

TIP: If you find that the chili ends up being too spicy there are a couple things you can do to correct the problem: (a) Peel a whole potato and add it in the mixture for ½ an hour (b) add one tsp of baking soda (c) if it won’t water it down too much, add some extra beef broth or diced tomatoes (d) add a couple whole slices of lemon, including the peel, and let simmer- remove these before serving.