Sen. Barry Goldwater's Expert Chili
Sen. Barry Goldwater’s slow-simmered beef chili with dried pinto beans, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin. Five hours of low-and-slow cooking for deep, smoky flavor.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
5 hrsREADY
11 hrsWhen a U.S. Senator shares his chili recipe, you pay attention. Barry Goldwater’s version is old-school Southwestern, the kind of chili that takes all afternoon and rewards your patience with every spoonful.
Dried pinto beans soaked overnight, ground beef browned until crumbly, tomato paste, onions, and a generous hand with chili powder and cumin. That’s the whole roster.
No tomato chunks, no fancy peppers, no twelve-ingredient spice blends. Just honest ingredients and five hours of gentle simmering until the beans turn creamy and the flavors meld into something deep and satisfying.
This is the kind of chili that wins cook-offs because it doesn’t try too hard.
Chef Tips
- Soak the beans overnight. Don’t skip this step. Dried pinto beans need a full night of soaking to cook evenly during that long simmer.
- Three tablespoons of chili powder is bold but not scorching. Adjust up or down to your taste, but give it the full amount on your first try.
- Low and slow is non-negotiable. Five hours at a bare simmer transforms this from a decent chili into a truly great one. The beans should be creamy, not chalky.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak beans in water, covered overnight.
In a large Dutch oven, cook beef until browned, stirring to keep crumbly, Drain off drippings, if needed.
Add tomato paste, onions and drained beans.
Mix chili powder, cumin and season to taste with salt.
Stir into mixture.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 5 hours.
Comments
