Simple Homemade Chili
Chili, with its intoxicating blend of spices, hearty meat, and simmering warmth, has become a culinary icon in the American palate.
Chili is short for chili con carne which means "chili with meat" in Spanish. It is considered a stew and it typically made with chili peppers or chili powder, meat, tomatoes and pinto or kidney beans. Garlic, onions and cumin are other popular seasonings used in chili.
The birth of what we now know as chili con carne can be traced to the vibrant streets of San Antonio, Texas, in the late 19th century. Chili queens, street food vendors renowned for their flavorful concoctions, set up open-air stalls, tantalizing passersby with bowls of spicy stewed meat. This marked the beginning of chili's journey into the heart of Texan cuisine, a fusion of Mexican and American influences that would forever change the culinary landscape.
Simple Homemade Chili
Robert Moreland
8
10 minutes
45 minutes
American
Soups and Chili
This simple recipe is easy for the beginner and is relatively inexpensive to make. We make ours with vegetarian crumbles instead of meat but you can use ground beef or turkey in this recipe.
We highly recommend using our Texas Hill Country Chili powder for this recipe. This blend is salt-free chili and made with ancho chile powder, New Mexico chile powder, onion, chipotle chile powder, cumin, garlic, Mexican oregano and allspice. It adds that recognizable chili flair without too much heat.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef or vegan crumbles
1 small-medium sized sweet onion, diced small
1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 - 15 ounce cans of beans; black, pink, pinto and kidney beans are great choices, and you can even combine them
1-½ cups water
1 Tablespoon Hill Country Chili Powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Place a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion to the pot and cook until browned. Drain any grease from the meat.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, and water and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Add Hill Country Chili Powder, California Granulated Garlic, Kosher Salt and Medium Grind Black Pepper.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Taste chili and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chopped onions or scallions if desired. Substitute with vegan sour cream and cheese for a vegan version.
