homemade chili
There are two things that Josh always has in his pocket to ask me to make for dinner year-round… spaghetti and chili! I can be so excited about a new pot pie recipe or a hearty jambalaya and he will say so sweetly, “… or you can just make a pot of chili if you would like!” LOL… SO, today I am going to share with you my mama’s homemade chili recipe!
I grew up eating this chili recipe and to me, no other chili compares! Chili is a dish that you can’t really mess up. Some folks make without beans, some with beans and same goes for the meat. I have made meatless chili many times and loved it just as much! Over the years, we have experimented with all different meats, chili packets, different bean ratios and the list goes on. We have come across some really yummy flavorful recipes over the years but for me, I will always go back to this recipe!
Growing up, my mama owned a beauty shop and when I think of this chili it always takes me back to those days. She would make a big crock-pot of this chili early in the morning and take it to the shop, and by lunch everyone would take a break in between clients and fix a bowl to warm up. She did this often and everyone always thought it was the best! When I started this blog, I ran into one of the stylist that worked at my mama’s salon and the first thing she said about the blog was “I hope you put your mama’s chili recipe on there!”…. So of course, the chili is making its debut!
This chili is versatile and you can add more meat or an extra can of beans if you like. However, what really MAKES this chili is the homemade combination of spices. There’s no “packet” of pre-packaged seasoning. You add flour and your own spices to the meat before adding your wet ingredients to really coat the meat mixture and give it lots of spice and flavor!
This recipe is also on the “soupier” side of chili, as it is made with tomatoe juice! I love this because it helps to soak up whatever you decide to put inside such as crackers, fritos corn chips, or cornbread. I grew up eating fritos with mine, so that’s always my choice. Josh is a cracker kind of guy, but feel free to use whatever tickles your fancy! Like most people, we love adding sour cream and cheddar cheese but this recipe is so flavorful it isn’t a must!
This chili recipe is extremely easy to throw together and I ALWAYS have the ingredients on hand. This is a “pantry staple” recipe for me and I never let my pantry go bare of these ingredients.
Another perk is you can cook it however is best for you. You can simmer it on the stove for an hour or you can cook slowly in the crock-pot for 5-6 hours on low. There’s something special about the flavor when it is cooked low and slow, so I definitely recommend the crock-pot but any way works!
HOMEMADE CHILI
1 lb. hamburger meat
1 large onion finely chopped
1 bell pepper finely chopped
5 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Tony’s creole seasoning
1/3 cup flour
1 can rotel
2-3 cans chili beans (depending on your liking, I use 3)
1 46 oz. can campbell’s tomatoe juice
DIRECTIONS:
Sauté hamburger meat, onion, and bell pepper and cook until meat is browned and veggies are well done and soft. Add flour, spices, seasonings, and garlic. Toss meat mixture until fully coated. It will be thick and pasty. One coated, add mixture and remaining ingredients to crock-pot and stir well until mixed thoroughly. Cook on low for 6 hours.
