Lately, I've had a hankering for some good ol' beef chili so I did what I normally do and scoured several of my favorite recipe websites to find a recipe of my liking.
In truth, I started with a basic chili recipe and decided it was a bit too bland for my taste so after a quick search I found a handful of seasonings that I could add to spice things up a bit.
I like my food well seasoned, so here's what I came up with:
M's Basic Beef Chili
Ingredients:
- 2 Lbs. Ground Beef (I prefer the leaner options)
- 1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
- 1 - 14.5 oz can of Stewed Tomatoes with juices
- 1 - 14.5 oz can of Diced Tomatoes (Optional)
- 1 - 8 oz can of Tomato Sauce
- 1 - 14.5 oz can of Kidney Beans, mostly drained
- 1 - 14.5 oz can of Pinto Beans, mostly drained
- 1 cup of Water
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
- 1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large saucepan, over medium heat, brown meat and chopped onion.
- Drain meat/onion mixture and combine in a stockpot with other ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes
Notes and Substitutions:
- This version is not very spicy but to spice things up, simply add more chili powder and/or cayenne pepper to taste.
- Original recipe called for 1 Lb of ground beef but we are carnivores in my house, so I doubled the meat because it sounded like a good idea and also because it makes the chili go further.
- For a healthier option, substitute ground turkey or ground bison for beef. Other additions: Bell pepper, ranch style beans, additional types of meat
- 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning Blend can be substituted for the Thyme and Oregano
