Ultimate Chili — The Recipe That Stopped Traffic at Station 19

The TV crew came to Station 19 on Tuesday. Three people: a camera operator, a producer, and a reporter named Angela who had done her research and asked questions that mattered. They filmed me making green chile stew for the crew — the full process, from roasting the Hatch chiles to braising the pork to the final simmer. Angela asked me why I cook at the firehouse, and I said what I always say: "Because my crew is my family, and you feed your family."

They filmed the crew eating. Travis, who has zero camera shyness, gave a testimonial about my food that was so enthusiastic the producer asked him to do it again with "slightly less intensity." Rodriguez, who has the camera presence of a stone wall, said, "Captain Rivera's food is the reason morale is high," which is the most words Rodriguez has ever said on record about anything.

Thursday they came to my house. They filmed the backyard — the smoker, the grills, the flat-top, the garden. Angela called it "the compound" and I corrected her: "Jessica calls it the compound. I call it the kitchen." They filmed me making brisket — the competition style, rubbed and ready, going into the smoker at sunset. The camera lingered on the smoke, the coals, the bark forming. It was beautiful on screen. It is beautiful in person, too, but the camera sees what the eye sometimes misses: the poetry of fire and meat and time.

They interviewed Roberto. He sat in his lawn chair in our backyard and talked about the cinder block grill, about teaching me to cook, about the carne asada. He said, "I did not teach him. He stood next to me and learned." The distinction matters to him. Teaching implies instruction. Standing implies presence. Roberto was present. That was enough.

The segment will air in two weeks. The producer says it will be three to four minutes on the evening news. I am trying not to think about the fact that thousands of people will watch me cook. I am trying to remember that the food does not change because a camera is present. The brisket does not care who is watching. The stew does not perform. The food is the food. The fire is the fire. Everything else is noise.

The green chile stew is what Angela and the crew filmed, but this Ultimate Chili is the dish that lives on the Station 19 rotation week after week — the one Rodriguez once called “the reason morale is high” before he went back to saying nothing. When I think about what I want people to understand after watching that segment, it’s this: the food is not about the camera, it’s about the table. And at our table, this chili is a constant. Make it for your people.

Ultimate Chili

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min | Total Time: 1 hr 50 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 1 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• Shredded cheddar, sour cream, and sliced scallions for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the pork. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork shoulder cubes in a single layer and sear until browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Brown the beef. Add ground beef to the same pot. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
3. Build the base. Add onion and bell pepper to the pot. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Add the spices. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Toast the spices in the pot for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Combine and simmer. Return the browned pork to the pot. Add fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
6. Low and slow. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and the chili has thickened. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne as needed.
7. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and scallions. Serve with cornbread or warm tortillas.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 8g | Sodium: 720mg