Double down to beat the winter chill with a steaming bowl of hot chili. The beauty of this recipe is the ability to tailor it to suit a variety of diets and taste preferences. It’s naturally gluten free. Choose a non-meat protein option for a vegan or vegetarian variation. Tone down the spice by choosing poblano peppers or mild canned green chiles and omitting the jalapenos.

Pour on the heat by using Anaheim peppers, extra jalapenos and a full two tablespoons of chili powder. Makes two hearty servings.

Ingredients

Chili Base

1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1-2 TBSP chili powder to taste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Beans (Choose One)

1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can light or dark kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained

Chili Peppers (Choose One)

1 large Anaheim pepper chopped
1 large Poblano pepper chopped
1 4-oz can diced mild green chiles
Equivalent (to above) dehydrated jalapeno peppers

Protein (Choose One)

½ pound extra-lean ground beef, cooked and rinsed
½ cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
½ cup pecans finely chopped

Optional Add-Ins

1-2 chopped jalapenos
¼ pound chopped mushrooms

Preparation

Sauté onion and garlic in a small amount of oil until soft. Add tomatoes, water and spices and bring to a boil. Add beans, chili peppers, protein, and optional add-ins. Simmer 30 minutes or until peppers are well cooked, adding more water as needed. The secret to really great chili is to simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes to let the flavors fully develop.

This chili freezes well and can be packed in frozen for shorter trips, especially convenient for winter overnights. For longer trips dehydrate at home for 6-10 hours at 160 degrees. In camp, add water to the dehydrated chili in a cooking pot so the water level it is about two inches over the chili. Bring to a quick boil and then let sit for 20 minutes until fully rehydrated. Protect the chili from cooling off during rehydration by insulating the pan if possible.

My favorite version is the full-on maximum spice vegan option made with Anaheims, jalapenos, pecans, and mushrooms. I prefer the more traditional pinto beans or dark red kidney beans to black beans. This chili was true comfort food during my recent hike in the Sierra Mountains where temperatures dropped into the teens most nights. I made a batch of cornbread that I spread on dehydrator trays and packed separately for a cornbread crumble topping.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 44 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.