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Pumpkin Chili the Way Morton, Illinois Makes It

Pumpkin Chili

This is the chili that made a small Illinois town famous every October. Canned pumpkin purée disappears into the pot, doing quiet work as a thickener and giving the whole thing a velvety body that no amount of simmering alone can produce. Cinnamon and nutmeg sit under the chili powder, warm but never sweet. Beef, two kinds of beans, and a long uncovered simmer.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 lb ground beef 85/15 blend
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1.5 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
  • 28 oz canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 15 oz canned pumpkin purée 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 15 oz canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups beef broth low sodium
  • 1.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven or heavy pot at least 6 quart
  • 1 Wooden spoon for breaking up the meat
  • 1 Colander for draining and rinsing beans

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
  2. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and diced bell pepper. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onion has softened.
  3. Add the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne if using. Stir constantly for 60 to 90 seconds. The spices should smell toasted and coat everything in the pot. Do not let the garlic burn.
  4. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits.
  5. Stir in the pumpkin purée until it fully dissolves into the tomatoes with no orange streaks remaining.
  6. Add the drained kidney beans, black beans, and beef broth. Season with the salt and black pepper and stir to combine.
  7. Bring the chili to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low so it holds a gentle simmer.
  8. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the pumpkin does not catch on the bottom. The chili should thicken enough that a spoon dragged across the surface leaves a brief trail.
  9. Taste and adjust salt, heat, and chili powder. Let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.

Notes

  • Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling is loaded with corn syrup and dessert spices, and it will scorch and taste wrong in a savory pot.
  • You should not taste pumpkin as a distinct flavor. If you do, you have used too much. It is there for body and texture.
  • Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, and roasted pumpkin seeds at the table. Cornbread or tortilla chips on the side.
  • Like most chili, this is better the next day. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
  • Ground turkey works in place of beef. Reduce the simmer by about 5 minutes since it dries out faster.
  • For a vegetarian pot, skip the beef and add a third can of beans. Use vegetable broth.