GF
When it’s chili outside, it’s time for a steaming bowl of southwestern chili inside. The first time I made chili, I used a mix like Wick Fowler’s 2 Alarm Chili Kit. Like making a cake from a box, it was easy, with all the ingredients and seasonings pre-measured. Â
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| Start with four pounds of fresh ground round beef (we like 80/20). |
Yet making your own chili is almost as easy and tastes even better than the mix, because you make it yourself.
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| Take out and measure all your ingredients before you start. |
Dig In to Chili and Serve with:
- A big mixed green salad, cornbread or crackers.
- Quinoa or noodles instead of rice!
- Wrappers such as lettuce leaves or tortillas, topped with sour cream, cheese, avocado & salsa.
Southwestern Chili
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 90 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Southwest
When it’s chili outside, it’s time for a steaming bowl of chili inside!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs 80/20 chili grind hamburger meat
- 4 cups tomato sauce (I like Classico)
- 28 oz diced canned or fresh tomatoes
- 26 oz. water
- 11 oz. light beer
- 1-cup chili powder
- 3 T cumin
- ½ – 1 t cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ cup minced dried onion
- 2 t garlic powder
- 2 t salt
- *2 or more T masa flour – set aside for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Instructions
- Add all the liquid ingredients in one bowl and all the spices (except the masa) to another bowl.
- Brown the meat in two batches and pour off the fat.
- Add the browned meat to a heavy duty (like cast iron) deep pot with a lid.
- Add all wet and dry ingredients except masa, stir to mix and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer with lid partially on for 1 1/2 -2 hours.
- Adjust seasonings to your taste. (Sometimes it needs more salt)
- When the meat is soft enough to your liking, mix the masa in a little bowl with enough cool water to make a slurry and pour through a strainer into the chili pot.
- Stir and cook another 10 minutes to let thicken. Taste again and adjust seasonings.
Notes
This recipe serves 12. You could easily halve the amounts, according to your needs. We use the chili all week long to make fun dinners like chili lettuce tacos or chili pie.
Better yet, make a pot for the next weekend’s Superbowl Supper!
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