Beef Chili for a Crowd

This Chili For a Crowd is a delicious recipe using beef meat. It's packed full of flavor and is so simple to put together. Perfect for making a large batch and freezing for a delicious meal ready in no time, great for weeknights!

As a result of the cold weather upon us, it is time for some warm and comforting chili! And why not make it a powerhouse of nutritionally dense food by adding organ meats?

Our family enjoys this old-fashioned classic Liver And Onions recipe. As a result, organ meats were a lot easier to explain than they might be to children that haven't tried organ meat before.

When we butchered our first steer, we made Heart Kabobs from the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook by Sally Fallon - they were absolutely delicious!

Because of their functions within the body, organ meats from grass-fed animals are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available! Beef liver is at the top of the list of foods that are highest in vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamins B-6 and B-12. As a result, I've been trying to incorporate more organ meat into our diets as a family.

With 6 out of the 9 people at home being boys with healthy appetites, it was an absolute necessity! Plus, I love dishes that make enough for a couple of meals!

Don't be afraid to make the larger amount, even if your family cannot eat it all at once, it freezes well and you will have a ready-made meal!

Instructions

1. The day before. Soak the beans for 24 hours. Cook until tender.
2. The night before. Cut liver into bite-size pieces and place into a medium bowl. I have found that it works best if you cut the liver with kitchen scissors.
3. Cover with either kefir or yogurt to take away any bitter flavor. Place into the refrigerator.

4. Serving day. First, heat oil in a large stockpot. Then, add the onions, garlic, and liver. Saute until the onions are translucent.
5. Add the ground beef and brown stirring to break it up into small pieces.
6. Cut the heart and kidney into bite-size pieces with scissors. Then, add to the stockpot.
7. Once the meats are browned and cooked, add the tomatoes and spices.
8. After this step, add enough water or broth to make the desired consistency.

Although water and broth amounts may vary, this makes 3 ½ - 4 gallons of chili for a crowd.

My favorite thing to go with chili is bread! To make your dinner even more appealing serve the chili in Sourdough Bread Bowls for a well-balanced meal. If you don't have a sourdough starter, then this Whole Wheat Bread also pairs really well with homemade chili.

Freezing

1. Allow the chili to cool down and come to room temperature.
2. Use durable, heavy-duty freezer bags or an airtight container to store. I like using freezer bags because you can flatten the bags, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for about two hours, and then you have a space-saving way to store them!

Tip: I recommend freezing them in 2-4 serving portions. That way, they are easier to defrost and you don't have to thaw all of the chili at once.

3. To defrost take the chili out of the freezer the night before you plan on serving it. The next day it will be ready to reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
4. If you are short on time, you can take the chili out of the freezer and run it under warm water until you are able to take it out of the bag or container. Add the chili to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Chili will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge, but up to 4-6 months in the freezer, so I highly recommend freezing this Chili for a Crowd if you know you can't use it all up in a couple of days.

Tips

• If organ meats are not your cup of tea, just use beef. Keep in mind, if you are using organ meats be sure to disclose that to your guests. Not everyone feels the same way about eating organ meats.
• Use kitchen scissors to cut the liver. This is much easier than using a knife!
• Soaking the liver in kefir will help to neutralize the strong taste of the liver. Great for if you are trying organ meat for the first time.
• Make a big batch and store the rest in freezer bags or an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• You can always thicken the chili if it's more watery than you like

If you’ve tried this beef chili for a crowd or any other recipe on Cultured Palate please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YouTube and TWITTER.

📋 Recipe

Beef Chili for a Crowd

Cultured Palate

Comforting and easy to make when you need to host a gathering or perfect for making a big batch and freezing for easy weeknight meals.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 610 kcal

Ingredients

  

To serve 8-10

• 2 lbs grassfed ground beef
• 1 lb heart or kidney or use both!
• 1 lb liver
• 4 cups white beans
• 2 large onions chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 - 25 oz can chopped tomatoes homegrown is best
• 1 - 2 cups bone broth or water
• 4 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoons basil
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• Kefir substitute - water with juice from 2 lemons

Instructions

 

• Soak the beans for 24 hours the day before cooking. Cook until tender.
• The night before, cut the liver into bite-size pieces and place into a medium bowl.
• Cover with either kefir or water. If covering with water, squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into the water.
• Place into the refrigerator. This helps neutralize the strong taste of the liver.
• Serving day: Heat oil in a large stockpot. Then, add the onions, garlic, and liver - saute until the onions are translucent.
• Add the ground beef and brown stirring to break it up into small pieces.
• Cut the heart and kidney into bite size pieces with scissors and add to the above mixture.
• Once the meats are browned and cooked, add the tomatoes and spices.
• Next, add enough water or broth to make the desired consistency. Because this varies according to taste, make sure everything's cooked properly before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

THE DAY BEFORE:

Soak the beans for 24 hours. Cook until tender.

THE NIGHT BEFORE:

Cut liver into bite-size pieces and place into a medium bowl. I have found that it works best if you cut the liver with kitchen scissors.

Cover with either kefir or water. If covering with water, squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into the water.

Especially relevant to our recipe’s purposes, place into the refrigerator. This helps neutralize the strong taste of the liver. Because of this step, you won’t have a strictly liver-tasting dish.

Keep In Mind

Because organ meats aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, be sure to disclose that they’re there! Maybe you like them a lot and think they blend into the taste well. But not everyone will feel the same way.

Keyword bulk cooking, crowd pleasers, homemade chili