Chili Con Carne

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Chili Con Carne (a Spanish phrase meaning chili with meat) is such a simple meal to make.  This was my favorite when I was a kid. When I worked in Angola, my American teammates (usually from Texas or Louisiana) loved to cook this hearty stew.

This was an event I was always looking forward to.  Most Chili Con Carne recipes call for cooked canned red kidney beans, but I used the uncooked variety, similar to THIS.  If the beans you bought aren’t cooked, soak them in water overnight, and boil them for about an hour before adding them to the chili.  Another thing, depending on the type of ground beef you have, it will be a good idea to brown the beef separately and scoop out the oil produced.  I just find it to be more savory without the oily feel in the mouth when it’s all done.  Most Chili Con Carne recipes also require canned tomatoes but for this one, I decided to use tomato sauce.

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 pc onion large, chopped
• 2 pc bell peppers red and green, chopped
• 3 pc garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 500 g minced beef
• 1 cube beef stock (broth)
• 1 kg pack tomato sauce
• 500 g red kidney beans cooked

1. In a wok or pan, brown the beef separately.  Scoop out the oil.  Set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent.  Tip in the garlic, bell pepper, chilli powder, paprika and ground cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the browned beef to the pot and continue cooking.
4. Add enough water to cover the beef.  Add the beef broth cube.  Stir.
5. Add the tomato sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Simmer gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it.  Make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
7. Add the cooked beans and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste a bit of the chilli and season. Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving, and relax. Leaving your chilli to stand is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle and the meat.
8. Serve with rice.

Check out other recipes HERE.