Simple Chili Con Carne

Although the original intent of all stew like dishes, like this one, is to make otherwise inedible meat palatable, the beef used can be fatty or lean, tough or tender or simply whatever is on sale.

This recipie is a pattern from which you can make either a side dish or a complete meal for a lot of people for a small amount of money using (literally) off the shelf ingredients available in most markets in America and aside from the meat easily pre-stocked in your pantry.

Ingredients

A pound or two of boneless beef chunks cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
A packet or two of chili mix. NOT chili powder.
A can of crushed tomatos.
A can of pinto beans.
Some butter.
Some fresh garlic cloves.
A bit of flour (just in case).

Notice that the quantities mentioned above are very vague. Almost any combinations of quantities will produce a good result. Experimentation and common sense will quickly determine the quantities which please you and those you cook for the most.

Obviously the number of people served depends on how much you make and if it's a side dish or the main part of the meal.

Preperation Time

Working, about 5 to 10 minutes. Waiting, about an hour.

Equipment

A pot with a lid large enough to contain all the ingredients with a bit of room to spare. Heavier pots are better, but you don't need to go to cast iron. A small cup or pan for melting butter, and a kitchen knife. Optionally you may want to acquire a garlic press.

Procedure

Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes.

Meanwhile, strip the skin from some garlic cloves, remove the tough part where the root was and any blemishes.

When the fatty parts of the butter have floated to the top, skim them off with a spoon. If you do not have a garlic press, smash the garlic with the flat of a kitchen knife and mince it. Open the cans of crushed tomatoes and pinto beans so they will be ready to add to the mixture. DO NOT DRAIN the beans!

Heat your pot on a medium-high burner until you're sure you would be burnt if you stuck your thumb on the bottom of it. Pour in the skimmed butter. Add the garlic, using a garlic press if you have it and stir CONSTANTLY until the garlic is slightly browned. Usually takes less than 30 seconds.

Dump in the beef chunks and stir to get them evenly coated with the garlic-butter. Stir every minute or so till most every side of the beef chunks have been seared.

Add in the contents of the chili packets. Stir to try to evenly coat the beef chunks.

Add the crushed tomatos. Stir well.

Add the canned pinto beans.

Stir well, let it come to a boil stirring every minute or so. When the contents of the pot have just come to a boil, put the cover on the pot, turn the heat down to low and go do something else for an hour.

Come back, stir and taste. Pull out one of the beef chunks, let it cool and then eat it to see if it's done. If it isn't let it cook another 15 minutes, repeat.

When it's done it may not be as thick as you want it to be. If that is the case, turn the heat back up to medium high to get the chili back to a boil. In the meantime mix 2 tablespoons of flour into a quarter cup of water so that it is a thin, watery white. While stirring the chili, drizzle this mixture into it. Let it come to a boil then cover it, turn off the heat and do something else for about 10 minutes.

Final Adjustments

It will almost certainly seem to need salt. If you think so either let your diners add it for themselves or add it at this point. If it does not taste hot enough, you can stir in some hot sauce, but be careful to not add too much.

Nutrition

Serve in a bowl with grated cheese on top or over rice on a plate. If you serve it over rice, the combination of the beans and rice make it a complete meal with ALL of the amino acids that humans need in which case the meat adds protein to balance the carbohydrates.