Beef Chili

2 lbs of beef hamburger

2 large onions – peeled and diced

2 green peppers - diced

4 cloves garlic – crushed and chopped

3 large cans of whole tomatoes

2 cans of red kidney beans

3 tbl of olive oil

2 fresh or pickled jalapeños

1 tsp of crushed red pepper

3 tbls of chili powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

salt to taste

Brown the hamburger in a pot with a little salt and pepper.  When browned, remove from the pot and set aside.  If a low fat recipe is desired, strain the hamburger out of the pot with a slotted spoon and discard the rendered fat.  After removing the beef from the pot, reheat the pot and add the olive oil.  Add garlic and stir briefly.  Add the onion and sauté until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown.  Add the green pepper and sauté the mixture for a few minutes.  Add the three cans of whole tomatoes with their juice.  Use a knife to slice up the tomatoes into the mixture.  Add the browned hamburger, jalapeños, red pepper, chili powder and black pepper.  Simmer on low heat uncovered with occasional stirring and scraping of the bottom of the pot to avoid sticking.

After a few hours the chili will thicken.  Drain the kidney beans into a strainer and rinse with water.  Add to the chili and cook for 1 more hour of until the beans are softened and the chili is the desired thickness.

Serves 6 with leftovers

Variations

The kidney beans can be omitted for a Texas style chili. 

Hamburger can be combined with stew beef or diced round or chuck steak.  Cooking time might need to be extended to tenderizer the diced beef.

Leftovers are great as taco filling and it freezes well.