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.
If you like Ree Drummond Recipes check out Perfect Pot Roast, Baked Ziti, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies or Penne Alla Betsy.
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Why You Will Love this Recipe
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.
Ingredients Needed
- Beef - Is considered better than higher fat options for several reasons. First, it has less saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease and other health issues.Â
- Garlic, chopped - Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.Â
- Tomato sauce - can also use Marinara sauce or crushed tomatoes
- Chili powder - is made from dehydrated garlic cloves and like the chili powder above it gets ulverized into a powder or flour consistency.
- Cumin - is a member of the parsley family. It is a dried seed that is made from a plant called Cuminum cyminum.
- Oregano - is a common herb used in cooking, particularly in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine. It has a pungent, slightly bitter taste and a strong aroma
- Cayenne pepper is a type of chili pepper that is commonly used to add heat and flavor to dishes. It is named after the city of Cayenne in French Guiana and is often sold in powdered form.
- Masa harina - is a type of corn flour that is commonly used in Mexican cuisine to make traditional dishes such as tortillas, tamales, and pupusas.
- Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- Toppings: Shredded Cheddar, Chopped onions, Tortilla chips, Lime wedges,
How to Make Simple Perfect Chili
- 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 ½ cup water at a time as needed.
- After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add ½ 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.
What can I serve chili?
- Salad: A great way to get more fiber and vegetables into your diet is to have a salad with your meal. Try Shrimp and Pea Orzo Salad or a light and refreshing cucumber salad.
- Starches: Make some Twice Baked Potatoes or Baked potatoes in the air fryer.
- Sandwiches: Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches or Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches are a must with chili!
- Maple Bacon Corn Bread Muffins
- Chili toppings such as cheese, sour cream, bacon, hot dogs, or corn chips.
- Make some bread bowls to serve the chili in.
Recipe FAQs
 Always store leftovers in clean, food-grade containers. The type of container doesn’t really matter. Use zip lock, glass, plastic,  whatever!Â
More Great Recipes to Try:
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Simple Perfect Chili - Ree Drummond
- Prep Time: 15min
- Cook Time: 1hr
- Total Time: 1 HR 15MIN
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
The perfect chili to me consists of just beans and beef. No extra added stuff to it like peppers, corn, etc.Â
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
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ 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 ½ cup water at a time as needed.
- After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add ½ 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.
- Category: Easy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 696mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17f
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 30g
Keywords: simple perfect chili
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