This recipe is based on one that appeared (in slightly different form) in Consumer Reports years ago. They said they tested dozens of popular recipes, choosing this one as the best. I agree that it makes an all-around good generic chili. What follows is a double batch recipe since we always make it in double batches. (I only called this the "Best You Can Make" to get your attention. Chili engenders fierce loyalties and wildly differing opinions. This is a great chili for middle-of-the-road folks.)
- 4 pounds hamburger
- 4 medium onions, diced
- 2 cups chopped green peppers
- 2 cans (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
- 2 cans (28 oz.) whole tomatoes (with the juice) Chop the tomatoes a little.
- 1 pound bag of pinto beans (or other beans), picked over and soaked in water overnight (see note below if you want to use canned beans)
- 4 cups water
- 1 can (16 oz) red kidney beans
- 4 healthy-sized cloves of garlic, minced (I use a garlic press, a wonderful invention.)
- 4 Tbs chili powder (more if you want it spicier)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
Pick over the beans and soak them in plenty of water overnight.
Cook the hamburger, onions, and green peppers together. Drain the fat. Put the (soaked) beans, water, tomatoes, hamburger mix, garlic, chili powder, and cumin (all of it at once) into a big pot (it takes a BIG one) and boil it until the beans are soft. This will take several hours. Be patient. If you want to add salt (it can use it), wait till the beans are soft--they say salt toughens beans as they cook.
Add water as it cooks to keep it to the proper liquid consistency.
We've had a little trouble with the beans being slightly tough, no matter how long we cook them, which we are working on. (It's probably due to the high altitude and hard water here in Utah....) The original recipe calls for canned beans, which certainly work nicely, but is more expensive than using dry beans. Use 6 or 7 cans (15 oz. each) of kidney beans, chili beans, or other beans, along with the one already included above. I love mixing types of beans.
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