Chili con Carne
Chili con Carne is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day.
Chili con Carne is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day.
- Carbohydrate 8.16581958991909 g
- Cholesterol 58.9670081 mg
- Fat 9.43683594848731 g
- Fiber 2.84494601016335 g
- Protein 20.7937696632852 g
- Saturated Fat 3.74827711034284 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (124g)
- Sodium 69.0880452348118 mg
- Sugar 5.32087357975575 g
- Trans Fat 1.20023609162751 g
- Calories 204 calories
Step-by-step
- Wash and sort pinto beans.
- Bring 3 gallons of water to boil in a 6 gallon pot.
- Pour in beans, return to a boil and cook 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
- Stir in salt and simmer until tender, 90 minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
- Brown beef with onions and garlic over medium high heat in same pot or enormous skillet.
- Combine meat mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, pepper and cooked beans in 6 gallon pot; stir; cover and simmer 1 hour.
Standardizing large quantities of chili requires understanding how bean starches interact with acidic tomato products during the final simmer. Historical iterations of this beef and bean stew relied entirely on dried legumes, which demand proper soaking and salting protocols to soften correctly before introducing tomatoes. Introducing acidic ingredients like canned tomatoes too early in the cooking process toughens the pectin in bean skins, preventing them from softening regardless of how long they simmer.
- Soak dried pinto beans in boiling water for two hours before simmering to rehydrate the cellular structure efficiently.
- Brown ground beef over medium-high heat to render excess fat before adding aromatic vegetables like onions and garlic.
- Maintain a gentle simmer for at least one hour with the pot covered to meld the chili powder and ground cumin thoroughly.
- Test bean doneness manually by pressing a single sample against the roof of your mouth; it should mash completely without graininess.
- Store cooked batches safely below 40 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours of preparation to prevent bacterial growth.
Adjusting the proportion of chili powder requires caution because commercial blends vary significantly in heat levels. Proper thermal reduction during the final hour concentrates the liquid until the mixture coats the back of a spoon evenly.
