Mary Jane's Chili with Beans

Mary Jane's Chili with Beans

This chili recipe is one I came up with over the last 50 years. I say  "over", because "over" the last 50 years I have experimented so many times and added "this n that", "less of this and more of that". You get the picture. About 20 yrs ago is when I decided I had my final recipe and quit experimenting. 

But people tell me it's the best and I get requests to make it a lot. I did not like Chili when I was growing up, but have grown to like this, especially when I started putting grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top. 

Other recipes I've seen have spices like oregano, but doesn't that belong in Italian food? I always thought Chili was originally a Mexican dish. I'm not crazy about chili powder, so I never put as much of that as most people do.

 I also used to drain the beans before pouring them in the pot, but after hearing 2 Iron Chefs, Alex Guarnaschelli  and Geoffrey Zakarian, say they never drain their beans, is when I stopped draining mine. If you watch that channel, especially The Kitchen, you will recognize their names. Alex and Geoffrey, who happen to both be Italian, are also occasionally judges on  shows like Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. Please see my UPDATE at the end of this recipe. It's very important!

Back to the chili, I also used to wait til the last 30 mins to add the beans, but just add them with everything else at the beginning now.

See my UPDATE, after the list of ingredients!

Mary Janes Chili with Beans

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef (or more)

¾ - 1cup diced onion

½ - 1 cup diced green pepper (more or less to your taste)

Saute first 3 ingredients together till beef is no longer pink, then add remaining ingredients 

1- 14oz can diced tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes if you don't like chunks of tomato in it)

1 - 8oz can tomato sauce plus 1 can water 

3 cans beans (UNdrained). I usually use 1 can each black beans, pinto beans & light red kidney beans) (see my UPDATE below).

1 can beef broth (or Better than Bullion - 2 tsps + 2 cups water). If you think your chili needs mote liquid as its cooking,  just add more of this.

3 tsps chili powder 

(you didn't misread that - yes teaspoons, not tablespoons, but you can add more if you like. Most recipes call for 2-4 Tablespoons chili powder!)

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp dry mustard

1- 2 tsps brown sugar

½ tsp Accent - unless you need to eat gluten free

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vinegar

½ tsp dry cocoa powder

2 - 2½ tsps gluten free Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper 

½ tsp Garlic powder or to taste

Hot sauce - ONLY add this of you like hot foods. Sometimes I add a little Tabasco sauce.

Sour cream and graated cheddar cheese as garnish for the top.

UPDATE: I fixed this again tonight (after fixing it for years) and have wondered  why it hasn't been tasting like it's supposed to, to me. It just dawned on me that I wrote down this recipes yrs ago when I used to drain the beans. But when I started adding the liquid with the beans (not draining them), I didn't add more spices, but tonight I did add more of the spices and the chili was much better! So what I did tonight was to add in ½ of the original amount of each spice. In other words, instead of 3 tsps chili powder, use 1½ more tsp chili powder, making it 4½ taps. Instead of 2 tsp cumin, add another 1 tsp, making it 3 tsps, instead of 2 tsp lemon juice, I added another 1 tsp lemon juice, making it 3 tsps lemon juice, etc. Do this with all the ingredients beginning with cumin and on down through the garlic powder. BUT (important) if you decide to drain your cans of beans, only use what's in the original recipe. Tonight, I also added about ½ cup tomato juice, just because I had it in the fridge and need to use it up. 

I hope I didn't confuse you!

Add all ingredients together, after sauting the ground beef, onions & green pepper together. Let this all simmer together for about 30 minutes.