The perfect chili to me consists of just beans and beef. No extra added stuff to it like peppers, corn, etc. Call me a chili purist if you must, but I don’t care! I’ve had this chili on top of waffle fries and french fries that I cooked in my air fryer and topped that with a little bit of cheese. Mmmm. This chili is also great on top of chips or a hot dog. I can’t take any credit for this recipe because it’s from Ree Drummond. Whenever I have a hankering for some chili this recipe is the one I always make.
This chili is a little thick because there isn’t much liquid. Whenever I reheat it, I’ll add a couple of tablespoons of water to loosen it up a bit. If you can’t find masa harina you can leave it out. I’ve done that plenty of times and it still comes out good.
Simple Perfect Chili – Ree Drummond
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef (*see notes*)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup masa harina
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Shredded Cheddar, for serving
Chopped onions, for serving
Tortilla chips, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.
- After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.
Notes
Smart Points: 6 (1 cup)
I use 93% lean ground beef when figuring out the smart points for this recipe.
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