Chili con Carne

Is it Mexican? Or Tex-Mex? Should it include beans? What about tomatoes? Minced beef, or pieces of chuck steak? Fresh chilies, dried chilies or chili powder? And that's before we even discuss what to serve it with! Rice? Tacos? Tortillas? Jacket Potato?

There are many claims as to what makes authentic chili con carne (simply translated meaning "chili with meat"), and all the recipes differ in one way or another. People get very heated over chili (pun intended!), and you can find endless arguments across the internet on what ingredients should be included and what should be left out.



I'm not going to claim that my chili recipe is authentic, so feel free to chop and change ingredients as you wish. Some things I have included may be seen as sacrilegious to some, but if you don't like it, simply leave it out. You are the one that has to eat it after all. Sometimes people put too much emphasis on "authenticity", but for me the golden rule should always be, does it taste good? If you spend your days striving to perfect some 200 year old "authentic" recipe that nobody else has heard of just for prestige, you need to be careful that it doesn't end up tasting like old socks!!! Maybe there is a good reason why a recipe is unknown after 200 years. People back then had taste buds too!!!

Anyway, back to the recipe!

Ingredients

250g minced pork

250g minced beef

1 onion

3 cloves garlic
2 dried chilies (I use bird's eye)
1 fresh chili
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tin plum tomatoes
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
200ml strong coffee
1 tsp sugar
1 400g can kidney beans
a few sprigs fresh coriander

Method

Brown the minced pork and beef in a large heavy-bottomed pot. After 5 minutes add the finely chopped onion and continue frying until the onion has softened. Add the minced garlic and finely chopped chili (both fresh and dried versions). 

Turn the heat down to a low simmer, add the tinned tomatoes and tomato puree and then the spices. Next add a cup of freshly brewed coffee and stir well. Put the lid on the pot and let this cook gently for at least 45 minutes.

Next add the drained kidney beans and the sugar, stir through, and simmer again with the lid on for a further 20 minutes. By this time your flavours should have infused and intensified and the pot should be smelling amazing. If its getting too thick, add a bit of water. If its too watery leave to simmer with the lid off the pot. Keep tasting as you go, and if you think it needs more heat, add more chili powder.

That's it. You can finish it all off with some chopped fresh coriander leaves sprinkled on top. Dinner is served!

Chili is pretty versatile and can go equally well with rice or potato (wedges or jacket), or with taco shells or flour tortillas. The choice is yours.

Perfect with some homemade salsa, a sprinkle of grated cheese, shredded lettuce and sour cream.

Enjoy!

DID YOU KNOW?
Chili tastes even better the day after, so if you have the chance make it the day before you are planning to eat it.

DID YOU KNOW?
Chili is not strictly a Mexican dish, despite being most associated with Mexican cooking. It originates in Texas and was a favourite of cowboys.