REBECCA: Ah, just in time for some Super Bowl chili.
KATE: Mmm, yum. Bye, Mom. Party at Molly’s.
JACK: The times he’s played on this field, he has never…
REBECCA: Hey, babe. Do you want one of these? They’re still warm.
JACK: Um. No, I’m fine.
REBECCA: No, Jack, I’m trying to do something cute here. Can you take a corn muffin?
JACK: Okay.
THIS IS US, SEASON TWO, THAT’LL BE THE DAY
Before reading this post, please know that there might be spoilers ahead regarding the show, This Is Us.
The recipes I usually post on this blog usually pertains to a funny or happy scene from a movie or television show but I think this is the first recipe that comes from a really sad scene in the episode. The scene takes place on Super Bowl night when the Kate, Randall, and Kevin have left the house to be with their friends and Rebecca and Jack enjoy a meal of chili and corn muffins. Rebecca offers Jack a corn muffin and reveals that Rebecca wants to become business partners. Little did we know that this dream wasn’t going to come true.
While this scene was incredibly sad, the episode was so memorable and there was so much focus was on the chili that I felt a need to recreate the dish. Now, the recipe itself can’t be any easier. The slow cooker does all the work snd 5 hours later, you’ve got an amazing bowl chili and warm corn muffins to accompany it. The recipe for corn muffins below come from the amazing Baking Illustrated cookbook I have mentioned many times before.
Please enjoy and remember to unplug the slow cooker before heading to bed.
This Is Us: Super Bowl Chili and Corn Muffins
Ingredients
Chili
- 1 pound organic ground beef
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 medium yellow onion small dice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium green bell peppers medium dice
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes or to taste
- 1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28oz
- 1/2 tsp salt
- sour cream as needed for garnish
- chopped green onion as needed for garnish
- sliced avocados as needed for garnish
Corn Muffins
- 2 cups all purpose flour 10oz / 283g
- 1 cup fine stone-ground yellow cornmeal 5oz / 142g
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large whole eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 5 1/4oz
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
Chili
- Preheat the slow cooker to low.
- Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, cook the onions and garlic for 3 minutes until the onions are soft but not borne. Add the ground beef and break the meat up into tiny pieces with a wooden spoon. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Cook the beef until golden brown, around 8 minutes. Pour the beef mixture into the the preheat slow cooker. Add the bell peppers, spices, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.
- Four hours into the cooking, add the rinsed and drained kidney beans. Stir to combine and cover and cook for another 2 hours. Taste for salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with chopped green onions, sour cream, and avocados.
Corn Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.
- Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined and light in color. Whisk in the sugar until well combined. Mix in the melted butter in two additions.
- Mix in the sour cream and milk until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin with a portion scoop.
- Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center, 15-18 minutes. Serve warm.