“I Really Missed This”: Katie and Al Roker Cook Up a Spectacular Chili

Katie loves having guests — but she’s not afraid to put them to work in the kitchen. Recently, she invited over an old friend, iconic weather anchor Al Roker. Her former TODAY Show colleague dropped by to dish on family, his health, and the new cookbook he’s written with his daughter, Courtney Roker Laga. The book, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion, is chock-full of fun, warming, family favorites that will make even beginner chefs feel like pros.

To celebrate Al’s debut as a cookbook co-author, he taught Katie how to make his truly spectacular chili. To get started on the smoky stew, you’ll shop for boneless beef chuck eye steak — and for good reason. After over an hour of simmering on the stove, this affordable cut of meat gets miraculously tender. Plus, it’s seasoned to savory perfection with the addition of cumin, ancho chili powder, paprika, and 10 whole cloves of garlic (because you can never have too much garlic). If you’ve been scouring the internet for protein-rich recipes, you’ll be happy to hear that the chili calls for three different types of beans.

But before you turn on the stove, be sure to check out Katie and Al’s fun video tutorial. They go over all the ingredients and steps before munching on the finished product. To serve, Al also generously brought some cornbread for dipping — he’s lent us the recipe so that you can make it, too. Dinner is served!

Al Roker’s Spectacular Chili Recipe

Serves: 10 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

•  1½ pounds boneless beef chuck eye steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
• 10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• Chopped scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with the salt. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef and brown well on all sides, about 5 minutes; do not crowd the chunks, as you want the meat to brown, not steam! Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining beef, brown it on all sides, and transfer to the plate.
2. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until it’s no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, and ancho chili powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return the browned chuck to the pan, along with the crushed tomatoes and beef stock and stir. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for about 1½ hours, until thickened.
3. Add the pinto beans, kidney beans, and great northern beans, cover, and cook for 30 minutes to heat the beans through and blend the flavors.
4. Serve the chili with scallions, shredded cheese, and sour cream for topping.

Note: Chuck steak is known as poor man’s ribeye. Some great substitutes are boneless chuck roast, short ribs, or brisket.

Al Roker’s Grandma’s Skillet Cornbread Recupe

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Salted butter for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large cast-iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, eggs, and sour cream, but don’t overmix. Add the melted butter and gently stir to combine.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and bake for about 25 minutes, until the center is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with butter.

Note: If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, an ovenproof skillet or baking dish will work, though your cornbread may not be as crisp.