waltz beans {aka sweet bacon chili}

My kids are picky, picky eaters. The “I can subsist for years on Cheerios, yogurt, bananas and nuggets” type of picky eaters. But now that they’re getting a little older I’ve been slowly introducing more real meals into the dinner repetoir. It’s hit and miss: sometimes I think they’ll love something and they gag, but we’re getting there. Anyway, this chili (officially called Waltz Beans and unofficially called the only chili my kids will eat) has made it onto the rotation of dinners that nearly everyone likes, and that’s saying something at my house.

By the way, I like lots of different kinds of chili, but I absolutely LOVE this one. The brilliance of this chili lies in two things: bacon and a hint of brown sugar. It tastes a bit liked baked beans (there is a can of baked beans in the chili), but really good baked beans that have been jazzed up with lots of other great stuff, like bacon. Did I mention bacon?

Need a great cornbread recipe to go with your chili? Try this sweet Jiffy cornbread.

This recipe was originally written for cooking outside in a Dutch oven. I don’t have one (yet!) so I’ve adapted it for stovetop cooking. It just takes a few minutes of prep at the outset to brown the bacon and beef, then you can pop a lid on your pot and let it simmer for about an hour. It’s the perfect easy meal for a chilly winter day.

Let’s Make

Special Waltz Beans {aka Sweet Bacon Chili}

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

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Ingredients

• 1/2 pound Bacon
• 1 pound Hamburger
• 1/2 pound Sausage optional
• 1 can Baked Beans 15 oz
• 1 can Red Beans 15 oz
• 1 can Pinto Beans 15 oz
• 1 cup Ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Vinegar
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 Bell Pepper chopped
• 1 tablespoon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

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Instructions

• Use kitchen shears to cut bacon into small pieces and brown in a large pot on the stove, adding in onion and pepper as pepper begins to cook.
• When bacon is cooked through, drain the fat, then add ground beef (and sausage if desired) and brown.
• Mix in all remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and turn down heat to maintain simmer.
• Let cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with cheese.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: soup

You may also like: Hearty basil chicken chili

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