Cook Grow Preserve

Chili with Meat and Beans

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Stove Time: 1 hour

  • 1 lb ground meat of your choice (beef, turkey, lamb, bison, even elk or venison!)
  • small onion
  • 2 cups or 1 can chopped, diced or stewed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped mild chilis (bell “peppers”, mini “peppers”)
  • chopped spicy chilis of your choice and your spice tolerance (cayenne, jalapeños, habanero, etc)
  • 1 can or 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp chopped or minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • toppings of choice (cheese, fried onions, tortilla chips, fried jalapeños)

  1. Set a large pot (I use my Le Creuset) on the stove and heat to medium (5 on an electric range)
  2. Add your ground meat of choice and salt to the pot and break up the meat as it heats up to brown
  3. Dice onions and chilis while meat is browning (or do this ahead of time)
  4. Once browned, stir in the onions, chilis, and 1 tbsp garlic
  5. Stir until onions soften (3 – 5 minutes)
  6. Add tomatoes, allow to simmer, and then set heat to low (2 on electric range)
  7. Leave your pot simmering on low, covered, for 45 minutes
  8. Stir in your beans, uncover, and simmer for 15 minutes
  9. Dish up, add toppings of your choice, and serve!

Notes

Toppings, Additions, & Substitutions

Have fun with toppings! Crunchy additions like fried jalapeños or crushed up tortilla chips are a favorite. When fresh chilis are out of season, substitute canned diced green chilis for the fresh mild chilis and dried red chilis for the fresh spicy chilis.

Sides & Pairs

Serve traditionally with cornbread muffins or sourdough bread.

(try it in a sourdough bread bowl for those real-real hungry days!)

Leftovers

Top nachos or baked potatoes with this chili for a quick-and-easy second meal. Reheat on the stove over medium heat.

Keto

To make this recipe Keto-friendly, just omit the beans.