Best Chili Con Carne Recipe

Chili, simmering on the stove

I suppose, for modesty's sake, I should have named this post, 'My Favorite Chili Recipe.' But, in my opinion, it IS the best. There's nothing in it that gives me a headache or makes my skin feel super-sensitive for the next few days. It's just plain ingredients...and delicious!

I actually made a double batch of the following recipe, which fits nicely in my Martha Stewart 10 Qt. stainless steel pot. I'm not lavish with my praise for Martha, but I'll have to say, that particular pot is the best I've ever seen. It heats evenly and things don't scorch in it! (unless you're really trying.)

Judy's Chili Con Carne Recipe:

In a large pot, brown the following in a couple T. olive oil:

2# fairly-lean ground beef

1 1/2 onion, chopt

4 ribs celery, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

some poblano pepper, seeded and diced (optional, but I had some in the freezer from my garden so I used it)

1 red bell pepper or 1 Carmen pepper, seeded and chopt

After the veggies are tender and the beef is thoroughly browned, add the following:

2 1/2 qt. canned tomatoes, slightly drained (that is about 2 1/2# after partially draining)

3 c. cooked red and black beans*, after draining 

2 T. chili powder

1 T. brown sugar

1 1/2 t. salt (or to taste)

a healthy sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Mix this and let it simmer for a few hours. It is actually best if it is then refrigerated for a day or two before serving.

P.S. When I made this a few weeks ago, I decided to add an extra quart of tomatoes to stretch it - at the last minute. NOT a good idea. It definitely needed to be the original recipe, or if I needed to increase it, to increase everything. There was a reason that I first wrote down the recipe. I have now learned not to alter it.

*About the beans:

I purchase dried beans, both red and black beans. Then, the night before I want to make the chili, I place a cup (or so) of each (red and black) into a large pot of water and let them soak overnight. In the morning, I drain the water off, add 6+ c. of clean water to the pot, and cook the beans for a couple hours BEFORE [rinsing and draining them] and adding them to the chili. Of course you can use canned black and red beans, but you'd be surprised how much cheaper these are and how little effort it takes to prepare them.

Another day, another bowl of chili!

Hope you enjoy this chili recipe. Be sure to let me know if you make it! :-)

This post is linked to some or all of the following: Amaze Me Monday and Skip to My Lou and Bedazzle Me Monday and  What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Made By You Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Tip Me Tuesday and  Made from Scratch Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Two Maids a Baking and Overflowing With Creativity and What's Cookin' Wednesday and Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Threading Your Way and Lisa's Gluten-Free Blog and Favorite Things Friday and I'm Lovin' it Friday and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Creative Bloggers and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday and   Home and Family Friday

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