Chef notes
This is a very tasty, versatile chili that's perfect on its own or as part of other recipes. I like to serve it on burgers, over cheesy nachos, with freshly baked cornbread and so on.
Swap option: Swap in any beans!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 cup masa harina (corn flour)
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- grated sharp cheddar
- sour cream
- chopped red onion
- lime wedges
- cornbread (optional)
Preparation
For the chili:
1.Place the ground beef in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat then pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chile powders, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne and 1½ cups hot water. Stir together well, cover and reduce the heat to low.
2.Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.
3.When the hour is almost up, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup hot water and stir with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir well then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes.
To serve:
Serve chili with grated cheddar, sour cream, chopped red onion and lime wedges. Serve with cornbread if you like!
