Chili Con Carne

I did not grow up eating chili. Much more recently in my adult life my mother started making chili.

The only beans I like are baked or refried.

Much like her spaghetti, which she adds Campbells alphabet soup to, moms chili is a bit of a stew like hybrid. 

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She uses black beans, red beans and corn etc. I like it over rice and or with corn bread. I pick out the beans in it just as I do the whole beans and distinguishable bits of them in refried mixtures.

With these issues in mind one winter I set to work figuring how to make my own chili. I hoped to find maybe a bean like the baked ones that I would be able to enjoy. Mom had moved across the country so she was no help.

A friend of mine had a whole cookbook on Chili something like 100 recipes 50 with and 50 without beans. What the heck?

I went through the book and when I was done I decided chili is like stew there is almost no recipe. The only distinguishing ingredient is chili powder. 

Any and everything else goes! Beer, chocolate, chicken, just to name a random strange few.

1 Can Tomato Paste 

2 Cans Tomato Sauce 

1 pound bag Northern White Beans 

Water 

1 pound Ground Beef 

1 to 2 Cans Whole kernel corn 

Table spoons Chili powder 

Teaspoon Sea salt 

Teaspoon Ground black pepper 

I want to make a batch for a while now but keep forgetting to soak my beans. This takes at least 24 hours.All these facts in mind I came up with the recipe that works for us.

Fast soak, cook has never worked well for me.

Soak beans overnight per package directions. 

Pour off water and rinse. 

Then boil to cook, again following the instructions on the package.

While this is going on for hours the spices, tomato mixture and water can be simmering.

Cook up, drain and rinse the pound of ground beef. Add it to the simmering tomato concoction. Add the corn, add more seasoning to taste. 

Add the cooked soften beans when they are done. I like to simmer for hours 2-4-6-8-12. It depends on when I get started in the day and how hungry I am as the hours roll by.

Chili is one of those foods that can taste better after cooling off and resting a day.