Jan’s Family Favourite Chili Con Carne

Category
Mains, Meat
Tags
beef, chili powder

Ingredients:

 

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 2 tbsp. chili powder (more or less depending on how much heat you like)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 large tin of tomatoes (28 oz. tin) (whole, diced or crushed)
  • 2 tins of red kidney beans (19 oz. tin)
  • 2 tbsp. white vinegar

 

Method:

 

  1. Prepare your ingredients:
    • Chop the onion and green pepper and set aside.
    • Measure the spices and place in a little bowl and set aside.
    • Remove the lids from the tins.
    • Now you are ready to start!
  2. In a large pot, heat the oil on medium heat.  Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to soften.
  3. Add the ground beef and stir until the beef is browned (no longer pink).  Drain off any excess fat in the pan.
  4. Add the chopped green pepper.  Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until they soften and brighten in colour.
  5. Add the premeasured spices to the pot, stir and cook for a minute to blend.
  6. Add the tins of tomatoes, kidney beans and vinegar.  Stir and heat until the mixture starts to bubble.
  7. Turn heat down to low.  Simmer covered for about 30 minutes.  Stir Chili several times while it cooks.

 

Note:  If you can make this the day before, it thickens as it sits overnight and it tastes even better.

 

Serves 4 – 6 

Serve it :

  • Over rice
  • Over pasta
  • Over a baked potato
  • With a side salad
  • Or, my favourite, on its own with crusty bread!

 

 Personalize your Chili:

 Spice it up to your liking – check out what you have in your cupboard and experiment.   Just make sure you add little amounts and taste test before you go wild!

  • hot pepper flakes
  • paprika
  • cayenne pepper
  • oregano
  • cumin
  • cinnamon
  • garlic
  • ground coriander

 

 If you don’t have or don’t like red kidney beans:

Try some of these alone or in combination:

  • Chick peas
  • White kidney beans
  • Navy beans
  • Baked beans
  • Lentils
  • Corn niblets

 

Tomatoes – any of the following can also be added with the tinned tomatoes or as a substitute:

  • Tomato soup
  • Tomato paste
  • Tomato sauce
  • Pasta sauce