Johnny Cash’s One-Pot Chili Recipe Is Perfect for Fall

The arrival of fall means it’s time for lots of our favorite food traditions, from sipping pumpkin spice-flavored coffee drinks to cooking up comforting dinner casseroles. The approaching autumnal season also conjures cravings for warm cider, freshly-picked apples and slow-simmered pots of chili. It’s the lattermost of those fall flavors that recently caught our eye in the form of a famous chili recipe from country music icon Johnny Cash.

Cash was a veteran of the United States Air Force who, after completing a few tours entertaining troops with the United Service Organizations (USO), offered up his go-to chili recipe for the 1992 USO Celebrity Cookbook. Johnny Cash’s “Old Iron Pot Chili” caught our eye not only because it sounds delicious, but also because it’s incredibly simple (and fairly affordable) to make.

To make it, gather 1 ⅔ pounds of sirloin steak, a tablespoon of olive oil, a store-bought package of chili seasoning mix, a teaspoon of chili con carne seasoning (brands like Colman’s, Knorr and Old El Paso sell this blend in packet form), chili powder and cumin to taste, a chopped white onion, a 14-ounce can of whole tomatoes, ⅓ can of tomato paste, a 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles, a teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, sage and thyme, a 15 ½-ounce can of kidney beans, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to taste. 

Chop the sirloin steak into cubes and cook it in a pan with the olive oil, then add the chili seasoning, chili con carne seasoning, cumin and chili powder and cook for about five minutes. The steak should be evenly seasoned and slightly browned. Add all remaining ingredients and cook together for 20 minutes. Add additional spices to taste, or add water if the chili gets too thick. Remove the chili from the heat source and serve with shredded cheese on top.

Over at the USO, the recipe reviewers call the Man in Black’s chili recipe a “one-pot wonder,” and they even note that it would pair well with an evening of Sunday Night Football. What’s more, they were able to whip the whole thing up in under an hour and say they were impressed with the recipe’s budget-friendly ingredients list. They also mention that if sirloin is too pricey at your local grocery store, the recipe would be just as good with a less costly meat like ground beef or chicken. 

Also of note: USO recipe testers say while the chili is good after it’s 25-minute cook time, it’ll only get better the longer you allow it to simmer and let the flavors combine—which could even make this recipe a good candidate for your slow cooker.

Not only do we love a delicious chili on a fall day, but we also love serving our chili with toppings like Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa or crumbled Air Fryer Tortilla Chips. And chili isn’t just for meat-eaters. If you prefer a less-beefy chili recipe, try our Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili or Vegan Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans. 

Any way you cook it, chili is a great healthy meal option since it’s often packed with lots of veggies and, if you use beans, some plant protein. Tomatoes pack in lots of flavor and health benefits, while ingredients like kidney beans can be a great source of protein and even benefit digestive health. 

Chili is also easy to make and incredibly versatile, meaning there’s no need to “Walk the Line” when you cook it—simply season it in the way that tastes best to you and top with your favorite accoutrements for an easy and yummy fall meal.