Zippy Three-Bean Chili -- The Brown Sugar That Makes It Rounder

New Year's Eve. I did not stay up. I went to bed at ten because I have a haul on January 2nd and because the passage of time from 2018 to 2019 is not something I feel like celebrating. 2018 took Larry. It can go. Dave watched the ball drop on TV with the kids and came to bed at twelve-fifteen smelling like popcorn and champagne — we let the older kids have a sip, which is a Nebraska tradition that Child Protective Services would probably frown upon but which has been done in every Nebraska household since Nebraska became a state.

Amber stayed up the latest. She is fourteen and has decided that staying up late is a personality trait. She sat on the couch with a blanket and a cup of hot cocoa and watched the celebrations on TV with the detached analysis of a teenager who finds adult rituals fascinating and absurd, which is the correct take. Justin fell asleep at eleven on the living room floor. Tyler made it to midnight and then went to bed with the efficiency of a boy who had met his obligation and saw no reason to exceed it. Josie was asleep by nine, which is the appropriate bedtime for an eight-year-old regardless of what the calendar says.

I made chili for New Year's Day. This is not a tradition anywhere else in the world but it is a tradition in this house, because New Year's Day is cold and football is on TV and chili is the correct food for cold football days. Brown sugar in the chili because Gayle says so and because Larry said so and because it is correct. The brown sugar makes the chili rounder, warmer, more itself. Like adding one more thing to a thing that was already good and making it better. That is what brown sugar does. That is what memory does.

I brought chili to Gayle on New Year's Day. She was watching football. She was wearing Larry's flannel — not the one I wrapped, a different one, an old one, faded and soft. She looked small in it. Gayle has never looked small to me before. She ate the chili and said happy new year, Brenda, and I said happy new year, Mom, and we both knew the happy was a stretch but the new year was true, and true was enough.

This is the chili I made on New Year’s Day — the one I brought to Gayle, the one that filled the house while the kids watched football and the cold sat outside where it belonged. The brown sugar is non-negotiable. Larry said so, Gayle says so, and now I say so. If you’ve never put brown sugar in chili, this is the recipe that will make you understand why.

Zippy Three-Bean Chili

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Shredded cheddar, sour cream, and green onions for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown the meat. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Soften the vegetables. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Add tomatoes and broth. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chiles, and beef broth. Stir to combine.
4. Season. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Stir well so the brown sugar dissolves into the base.
5. Add the beans. Stir in all three cans of beans. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
6. Simmer. Cover loosely and simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili has thickened and the flavors have come together. Taste and adjust salt or cayenne as needed.
7. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, or sliced green onions if desired. Goes well with cornbread or crackers.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 320 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 11g | Sodium: 620mg