Dutch Oven Chili with Cornbread

Chili is one of those meals that evokes memories of when I camped as a Boy Scout back in the mid-eighties.  Ironically, though, it's not a meal I cook often camping anymore.  It seems like most of the Scouts in my son's Boy Scout troop don't care for chili, and only two out of four members in my family enjoy it.  As a result, it isn't practical to lug all the ingredients out on a camping trip.  I decided to splurge for this past weekend's Super Bowl, however, and made a batch of Dutch Oven chili with cornbread.

Like most chili recipes out there, this one is my own concoction, but some of the elements, like cooking cornbread on top of the chili, were picked up from a fellow Scout leader and Dutch Oven enthusiast. 

Cooking equipment for this recipe includes a #12 deep dish Dutch Oven, lid lifter, shovel, charcoal briquettes, mixing bowl and various measuring cups and spoons.  Optionally, you may also want to use a camp stove for the early part of the cooking process.

Ingredients:

Chili:

• 2 large (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 large (2 lbs) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 small (1 lb.) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 bottle chili sauce (you'll find this in the condiments section)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil (opt.)
• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder (Additional to taste - I use a lot.)
• Cayenne Pepper (If you like more heat.)

 Cornbread Topping:

• 2 boxes Jiffy brand cornbread muffin mix
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk

 

Starting Your Chili

Brown your ground beef and set aside.  This can be done quite well in the bottom of your Dutch Oven, although I usually cook it beforehand in a separate pan and carry the pre-cooked meat to the campsite.

To save on briquettes, I typically start the chili in the Dutch Oven on a gas camp stove or grill side-burner.  This may not be necessary if you're cooking on an open fire.  In the base of a #12 deep dish Dutch Oven, sauté the onions, garlic, and green pepper in the olive oil until the onions begin to soften.  Add mushrooms and sauté a few minutes longer.

Add tomatoes, chili sauce, kidney beans, black beans, salt, and chili pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbly.  Here's what it looks like at this point:

 

Simmer for at least 45 minutes - longer if you'd like a less chunky tomato base.  Add cayenne pepper or additional chili powder for your desired heat.

Adding the Cornbread and Finishing the Cooking Process

If you started your chili on the camp stove, be sure to light your briquettes about 45 minutes before dinner should be ready.

While the chili is simmering.  Mix the cornbread muffin mix, eggs, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until you're almost ready for dinner.
 
Transfer your Dutch Oven to your briquettes, if appropriate.  On a warm summer day, I'd use a dozen briquettes below and 12 above. I used quite a bit more on this winter day in the thirties. Your top briquettes should be arranged in a ring around the perimeter of the lid.

Bring the chili to a brisk boil, like the photo below.

For your cornbread to cook properly, the chili must come to a brisk boil.

Once the chili is boiling, use a large spoon to spoon the cornbread batter on top of the chili.  Cover and cook, about 15 minutes or until the cornbread cooks through.  The end result looks like this:

Completed Dutch Oven Chili with Cornbread on top - delicious!

Let the chili stand a few minutes, then serve.  You'll find that this recipe is less sour than most due to the sugars in the muffin mix.   Enjoy!