Chili
I'm not a real big chili fan but I love this. You can leave out the veggies if you don't like them. Once I ran out of tomato paste and used some spaghetti sauce instead and it turned out just as good.
I'm not a real big chili fan but I love this. You can leave out the veggies if you don't like them. Once I ran out of tomato paste and used some spaghetti sauce instead and it turned out just as good.
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 pounds fresh ground beef
- 1 qt. tomato juice
- 29 oz tomato puree (29 oz can)
- 15 oz red beans drained
- 1 medium onion (1 1/2 cups), chopped
- 1/2 c. celery diced
- 1/4 c. green pepper diced
- 1/4 c. chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin (if you like real flavor, add more)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, oregano, sugar (1/2 tsp each)
- Carbohydrate 20.6477547619692 g
- Cholesterol 77.1107029 mg
- Fat 17.8106686931364 g
- Fiber 5.93830850113502 g
- Protein 26.1437698376272 g
- Saturated Fat 6.79864313648395 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (292g)
- Sodium 262.832179216142 mg
- Sugar 14.7094462608342 g
- Trans Fat 2.54232793290898 g
- Calories 343 calories
Step-by-step
- In a frying pan, brown the ground beef; drain.
- Put the drained beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6-quart pot.
- Cover the pot; let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
Tomato juice anchors this entire formulation by providing a thin, acidic medium that concentrates slowly over heat as starches from the beans and rendered fats from the beef bind the liquid into a cohesive sauce. Browning two pounds of fresh ground beef in a wide frying pan before transferring it to a six-quart pot ensures proper Maillard reaction development without overcrowding the meat. Simmering the mixture covered for up to ninety minutes allows the fibrous cell walls of the chopped onion, celery, and green pepper to soften completely while the heavy notes of chili powder and cumin marry into the tomato base.
The Second-Day Advantage
Allowing the finished pot to chill in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours yields a dramatic improvement in depth as starches continue to swell and water molecules bind more tightly to the protein structures. When reheating refrigerated portions, add up to two tablespoons of water per serving to compensate for moisture loss during storage, bringing the sauce back to its original spoon-coating consistency without scorching the bottom of the pan. Adjusting quantities for larger or smaller batches requires maintaining the ratio of one quart of liquid to two pounds of protein so the final consistency neither pools nor dries out.
- If the acidity of the tomato puree tastes too sharp during the initial simmer, whisk in an extra pinch of sugar to balance the pH without masking the earthy spices.
- Drain the red beans thoroughly in a colander before adding them to the pot to prevent excess canning liquid from diluting the chili powder and cumin concentration.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to four days at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
