This5-Ingredient Beef Chili Recipe is perfect for Halloween or any chiliparty–double, triple, or quadruple the batch for a large crowd!
Hospitality is all about comfort. No matter what.
Being hospitable on Halloween or when celebrating the harvest is about making people feel welcome, warm, and serving them delicious comfort food, such as my 5-Ingredient Beef Chili recipe today!
My favorite part of planning a chili party is setting the table and figuring out the menu! And then, thinking about the details, making sure that the guests are nice and comfy.
You know when it’s been a successful dinner party when the food is devoured and the guests linger, wanting to hang around! I love both of those so much! I think as women–because to many food is our love language–it feels so good to know that our guests have enjoyed the meal and had a good time.
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Two for one.
I’m excited to share with you a very simple chili recipe today that we recently made for our guests, and which I also doubled to surprise another family with a “fall” dinner, as a thank you from our family.
Two for one.
Cooking “two for one” is easy when you have a simple recipe. I figure as long as I’m cooking one batch, I might as well double it and share it with others!
New chili beans.
Bush’s Beans has 3 new beans that have recently launched, packed in chili sauce {delicious flavor} and today I’m combining their kidney and black chili beans together into a very easy chili recipe.
Halloween is the perfect day to serve chili to your guests, don’t you agree?
Do not strain.
What I love about the {new} BUSH’S Chili Beans is that they are slow-simmered in a sauce with a special blend of chilies, spices, garlic and onions. Which means they should not be strained.
Most people crave chili when the weather gets cold, even though we do eat chili year round.
I love doubling batches and then freezing it for my college son. There’s nothing quite like mom’s homemade chili, made from scratch.
The other thing that my family prefers is a meat chili over a vegetarian recipe, although I often make both. Beans are high in fiber and protein and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants They’re naturally cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and virtually fat-free – so healthy for my family and guests.
Which brings me to this recipe today.
5-Ingredient Beef Chili recipe.
5 easy ingredients is all you need – no added spice!
Kidney Chili Beans – Dark red kidney beans simmered in a hearty chili sauce with the robust flavors of ripe tomatoes, chili, peppers and cumin.
Black Chili Beans – Tender black beans simmered in a bold chili sauce made with chili peppers, sweet tomatoes and onion for a southwestern kick.
And then salsa, beef, and onion.
The recipe is below. If youdon’t have plans for dinner tonight – this should be on your menu!
What kind of beans do you put into your favorite chili recipe?
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5-Ingredient Beef Chili Recipe
When cooking with beef, I like to soak up the fat by laying a paper towel over the meat and pressing. You may need to do this a couple times. When using Bush’s chili beans, do not strain the beans–mix in the juices and spices.
Lightly spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Cook the beef on medium-high for about 3 minutes, breaking into small pieces. Add the onion and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Drain off any fat or soak up with a paper towel by laying it over the meat and pressing. You may need to do this a couple times.
Add the 4 cans of chili beans (do not strain), green salsa, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Optional to serve with sour cream, cheese, red onion, cilantro, chips or corn bread.
One added tip and recipe: Using the {new} Great Northbean Chili Bean, you can make this queso dip. Combine cream cheese + canned tomatoes + chopped white onions with BUSH’S Great Northern Chili Beans.
That’s it, folks! Happy Halloween!
This post is sponsored by Bush’s Beans, but as always, all opinions are my own.
Season Early and Often. Herbs and spice blends are all key to flavoring chili, but many cooks wait until the very end to add in their spices. Instead, season early and often so flavors mix and mingle to develop an even richer taste.
If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.
The best ground beef for chili has some fat, so 85% lean is ideal. Don't be tempted to use extra-lean beef or drain off the fat after browning the meat. The fat bastes the meat during cooking, which adds richness to the sauce and keeps the meat moist.
If you are making chili that will cook for 30 to 40 minutes, diced tomatoes will work best. If you want to make a quick, fresh-flavored tomato sauce with basil, choose the crushed tomatoes. You will only need to cook the sauce for about 20 minutes to get the right thickness and a balanced flavor.
Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.
In a pot of chili, just a few strips of bacon add a smoky, meaty depth. And it's not just the bacon itself that adds flavor, it's the bacon fat, too. Before you start your recipe, cook 3 to 4 strips of thick-cut bacon until they're as crispy as you like.
Tomato sauce is not a strong a taste as tomato paste. Also, sauce will increase the liquid content of your chili ever so slightly. Tomato paste has a more full, rich, tomato taste and smell. Using either one is appropriate, but you will need to tweak your seasonings to suit your personal tastes, anyway.
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break the meat into ¼-inch pieces, until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
The most common type of ground beef in the grocery store is 80-20, which is 80% lean and 20% fat. You can use whatever ground beef you like, but after searing the meat, it's helpful if you either drain or use a paper towel to blot up some of the excess fat.
Yellow Onions: These are the most versatile and widely available type of onion, and are a good choice for chili con carne. They have a slightly sweet, sharp, and tangy flavor that adds depth and complexity to the dish.
The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.
However, canned beans are soaked in a canning liquid that can throw off your dish's seasoning and texture, so it's best to drain and rinse your beans before pouring them into your pot of chili. Canning liquid can also water down and dilute the flavors of your chili.
DO NOT DRAIN CHILI BEANS. (That's what thickens it up, I don't use tomato paste) add juice and all! Do Not drain Stewed tomatoes,diced tomatoes,or tomatoes with green chiles. Add all ingredients, and seasoning, mix.
It might need salt. If there's not enough salt it will taste flat. Or maybe more chili powder. I little Cayenne is always good unless you are feeding children or very sensitive people.
With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.
Sprinkle Some Sugar adds sugar to her crockpot chili to balance all the additional flavors in the mix. Beyond standard white sugar, feel free to try different sweeteners to add a completely different flavor variation. J.
Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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