The cold weather makes us long for comfort food, and chili con carne is one of the most popular. Many people settle for canned or deli chili because they think they don’t have time to make it ‘from scratch.’ However, prepared beef chili con carne doesn’t have the same level of satisfaction as the homemade variety.
Here is a quick-and-easy recipe that will satisfy your family’s craving for warmth without taking up hours of your time. It can be prepared entirely in a large skillet in about 45 minutes, or use a crockpot to let it simmer until night time for even more flavor.
Garnishes:
- Shredded Mexican style or Cheddar Cheese
- Finely chopped raw onions
- Sliced Jalapeno Peppers or Banana Pepper Rings
- Corn Chips
- Oyster or Saltine Crackers
Sides:
- Corn Muffins
- Chips and salsa
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Roast Beef or Ham sandwiches
- Hot Dogs, Brats, or Polish Sausages
- A Garden Salad with your favorite dressing.
Homemade Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef you could use ground turkey
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon salt optional
- ½ cup salsa
- 16 ounce can of kidney or pinto beans in chili sauce chili beans
- 14 ounce can of diced chili ready tomatoes or use plain diced tomatoes and increase salsa to 3/4 cup
Instructions
- Peel and chop the onion. Crumble lean ground beef or turkey into a large skillet.
- Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat, frequently stirring, until the onion is tender and the meat is light brown.
- Pour the cooked mixture into a large colander to drain all liquid. Return the meat and onion mixture to the skillet.
- Stir in the spices, salsa, chili beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve immediately or store in a covered large container in the refrigerator until it is ready to eat.