A thick and hearty recipe with ground beef and the perfect amount of beans and spices for the best pot of chili around!
JUMP TO RECIPEPeople are very passionate about chili! If you don’t believe me, post a picture of chili with beans on social media and see if the entire state of Texas doesn’t yell at you. Well, at least half.
Evidently putting beans in chili in some parts of the country ought to be a punishable offense.
We all make it a little differently. I look at chili the same way I do cornbread: I like it all. The sugar debate over cornbread falls on deaf ears with me. I like all the cornbread. And I like all the chili.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it best just like this! And I’ve tasted A LOT of chili.
I’m proud to say I put several years in as a judge for the annual chili competition in the small community near where I grew up.
I’ve had it six ways from Sunday and there are a few things I can say with absolute certainty that I prefer. And a few things I don’t care for.
This recipe is the one I almost always use and the one my family likes best. And the best part is that it’s really, really easy!
It covers the bases of my preferences (I’ll go into those below) and is simple to throw together because it uses a chili seasoning packet.
This may cause you to clutch your pearls but before you fuss at me, let me tell you, the seasonings used in most all common seasoning packets contains the same spices I like best in chili. So… why not use it??
WHY USE A CHILI SEASONING PACKET?
NOT JUST CHILI POWDER – A lot of folks think the key ingredient in chili is chili powder but chili powder really doesn’t have a ton of flavor. Good chili needs a variety of spices, including cumin.
EASY & EXCELLENT SEASONING – Standard packets are all similar in flavor. They may be vague listing the ingredients as "spices" but my nose and taste buds can tell you there’s plenty of cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder and yes, chili powder too.
NO WATERY CHILI – All packets include a thickening agent which is how you get that thick, glossy chili and not a watery pot of disconnected ingredients. Most packets include some sort of wheat or corn flour which brings the chili together perfectly.
HOW I LIKE IT BEST
Let me preface all this by saying this is a reflection of my personal preferences and how I ended up crafting this recipe. My way isn’t the only way – it’s just the way I like best!
PINTO BEANS – I only use pinto beans in chili because I prefer the soft
texture. Black beans are OK and I don’t mind them when there’s a variety of
beans but I really, really don’t like kidney beans. They’re too firm
and too big and remind me of palmetto bugs.
GROUND BEEF – I’ve tried chili with shredded beef, steak, chorizo, ground chicken and more and I like ground beef best. I like the way the texture contrasts the softer ingredients and love all the flavor from the pan drippings.
NOT TOO MANY TOMATOES – I like some diced tomatoes but use equal parts tomato sauce and diced tomatoes so that I get all the tomato flavor without too many chunks.
THICK, NOT SOUPY – I touched on this above in the conversation about seasoning packets, but I love chili that’s thick and rich like a stew, not watery like soup.
INGREDIENTS FOR EASY HOMEMADE CHILI
After all the talk about chili seasoning packets, you may look at the list and think huh?? The seasoning packet encompasses a lot of what I’m after but not quite all. But don’t worry, it’s still super quick and easy to throw this together!
- Ground Beef
- Diced Onion
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- Oregano
- Diced Tomatoes
- Tomato Sauce
- Pinto Beans
A FEW RECIPE NOTES
- Use any standard chili seasoning packet (which should be under 2-oz). My favorite is the Chili-O brand from French's.
- If you use lean ground beef (10% or less fat) and brown the meat at a high enough temperature for any liquid to evaporate, you shouldn’t need to drain the meat.
- Don’t drain the beans or diced tomatoes before adding to the chili.
- Feel free to amp up the heat in this. Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and/or diced fresh jalapenos.
- This chili freezes beautifully!
- Those are Fritos corn chips in the photos (that's what my kids like with chili) but cornbread (my favorite), oyster crackers, saltines or good crusty bread is great too!
- You'll need to cook the ground beef and onions first but you can finish everything in the crock pot if you'd like. Cook on High 2-3 hours or Low 5-6 hours.
Recipe for Really Easy Homemade Chili
Really Easy Homemade Chili
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 15-oz can pinto beans
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 packet chili seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup beer or water
Instructions
- Cook ground beef and onion in a wide pan or Dutch oven over high heat until beef is very nicely browned. Do not drain unless there is an excessive amount of drippings (see notes).
- Reduce heat to medium then add minced garlic. Continue cooking 2 minutes.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Continue cooking on medium heat until chili starts to simmer. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer then continue cooking, uncovered, 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Use any standard chili seasoning packet (which should be under 2-oz). My favorite is the Chili-O brand from French's.
- If you use lean ground beef (10% or less fat) and brown the meat at a high enough temperature for any liquid to evaporate, you shouldn’t need to drain the meat.
- Don’t drain the beans or diced tomatoes before adding to the chili.
- Feel free to amp up the heat in this. Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and/or diced fresh jalapenos.
- This chili freezes beautifully!
- You'll need to cook the ground beef and onions first and omit the beer or water but you can finish everything in the crock pot if you'd like. Cook on High 2-3 hours or Low 5-6 hours.
Sounds pretty yummy to me, sure would like to have a bowl of this today!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at Weekend Potluck. I love easy dishes and this looks awesome...so does your photo!! *-*
ReplyDeleteim going to try this its sounds good even the pictures looks good lol
ReplyDeleteWhat beer do you recommend? I know this sometimes makes the dish ...
ReplyDeleteWhatever I have in the fridge. I like lager so that's usually what I have but I've used everything from Bud Light to New Castle.
DeleteSo I'm guessing the BC ever cooks down not to affect the kids right???
DeleteGoing to try this tomorrow for dinner. I love a good pot of chili... I LOVE my mom's chili, but I can never make it like her. Plus the Army has moved my husband and I all the way down to El Paso Texas.. That's a long drive back to N. Carolina. I am super excited to try this.
ReplyDeleteHow many would this serve?
ReplyDeleteI made it this weekend and 8 of us cleaned the pot so I'd say 8 :)
DeleteI think Lucks Pinto Beans taste the best they are the only ones I found that taste like homemade beans.
ReplyDeleteI always add ground hot sausage along with ground beef to my chili! Try it!
ReplyDeleteIm a senior citizen, living alone, and I don't much like cooking, but I LOVE eating! anyway, this site has a bunch of stuff I think I might be motivated to try. First of all, would be this chili. I love chili. Now, I will use the beer if you say so, but I DO NOT like the taste or smell of beer, so am I going to taste it in the chili?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know this also, the taste of beer just turn my nose, LOL.. I'm not a snob, I just don't like the smell or taste of it. Also my ex hubby was an alcoholic and that relationship was horrid, beer so brings back bad memories! I will cook with it, IF there is not after taste.
DeleteMaybe I'm not the best person to ask because I LOVE beer but I don't think you taste the beer. What you taste is a rich note that's a little unique and there's certainly no aftertaste that I can detect. But if you're worried about it, feel free to use the substitutions I mentioned above.
DeleteLOL..I do understand that, my best friends love beer, I just sit where I can't smell their drinks.. LOL I'll sneak a beer from someone and try this soon!!
ReplyDeleteThe people concerned about cooking with alcohol need not worry, the taste, smell and alcohol is dissipated from the heat (especially the alcohol) because it is so volatile, in the cooking process, there is a slight residual entrenched in the ingredients that makes a special touch to your recipe. Same goes with wine or whiskey. Bon Appetit!
ReplyDeleteI am going to make this for my husband, but I don't eat beans, Can I make the chili without it beans?
ReplyDeleteChili is not chili without beans. Make it as usual then pick the beans out. Or make a small pot for yourself, omitting the beans for you. I don't think it would be called chili if there weren't any beans.
DeleteThat's not what they would say in Texas. It's a matter of taste.
Deletehow many does one recipe feed?
ReplyDeleteThis is how I used to do mine, but I've tweaked it a little bit. Now, I do ~1-1.5lbs of ground beef and a roll of hot sausage (like Jimmy Dean) -- it adds a ton of flavor! I also do one can of Ro-Tel and one regular can of diced tomatoes, and I add a chopped green pepper or two. Otherwise, our recipes are pretty much identical!
ReplyDelete