Mom's Chili
This is a very mild chili my mom used to make to feed her family of five for a couple of days. I know she edited it a lot because I never liked spicy foods and when we were short on money she would add noodles to make it last a few more days.
This is a very mild chili my mom used to make to feed her family of five for a couple of days. I know she edited it a lot because I never liked spicy foods and when we were short on money she would add noodles to make it last a few more days.
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 small can chili beans drained, if using red kidney beans. the liquid in the chili beans adds a lot of flavor
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes diced or drained
- 2 large cans tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp parsley more if using fresh
- 4 tbsp chili powder to start with but you might need more depending on your taste
- 1/2 to 1 lb elbow macaroni or spaghetti cooked, optional
- Carbohydrate 39.7190885232521 g
- Cholesterol 30.84428116 mg
- Fat 8.22659847373277 g
- Fiber 4.92962823273379 g
- Protein 15.9672039937115 g
- Saturated Fat 2.91032256278249 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (255g)
- Sodium 189.500472155537 mg
- Sugar 34.7894602905183 g
- Trans Fat 1.38228753832782 g
- Calories 293 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown the ground beef and drain add onion, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes and fresh garlic. Season with salt pepper, parsley and chili powder. Cook until veggies are softened.
- Add tomato sauce, (when I use canned tomatoes I always add them at this point because they are already pretty soft) and beans
- Cook over medium heat until warmed through and taste. Add more seasonings if needed.
- Lower the heat and cook until ready to eat, longer is better.
- To add macaroni add cooked noodles about five minutes before ready to eat and taste again for seasoning.
Ground Beef and Aromatics
Chili powder shoulders the heaviest burden in this recipe, delivering both earthy warmth and color without demanding excessive heat from capsaicin. When browning the ground beef alongside the diced yellow onion and bell peppers, look for the meat to turn completely brown while the onions become translucent and soft, which usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat. Draining excess fat prevents the finished dish from tasting heavy, ensuring the spices coat the palate clearly. If fresh garlic is used instead of jarred paste, add it during the final minute of browning so the volatile compounds do not scorch and turn bitter.
Simmering and Reduction
Determining doneness in a pot of chili relies entirely on visual and textural indicators rather than internal temperatures. Letting the mixture simmer on low heat for an extended period allows the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to break down further and meld with the beef fats. Watch for the sauce to thicken noticeably and for small pools of fat to integrate smoothly into the body of the stew. This prolonged low-temperature exposure softens the raw edge of the chili powder and concentrates the natural sugars present in the peppers and tomatoes.
Fresh Versus Preserved Components
Incorporating fresh produce versus canned alternatives alters both moisture levels and structural integrity within the pot. Fresh tomatoes release significantly more liquid during the initial cooking phase than canned varieties, requiring a slightly longer reduction period to achieve the desired consistency. When adding cooked elbow macaroni or spaghetti near the end of the cooking process, introduce the pasta just five minutes before serving so the starch absorbs surrounding moisture without swelling into a mushy texture. Stir the pasta gently to distribute the shapes evenly through the beef and bean mixture.
