[Image found here.]
That picture’s been sitting around in the What-To-Do-With-This-Baboso File for months. Out of the blue comes a reader comment on a post about Cincinnati Chili from 2008 in which I mentioned a family recipe that that I’ve been using for decades.
Amateur Cook Please, please, pretty please with sugar on top – can we (or I at least) have the Strutts Family Recipe? I’m on my knees here beggin’ ya!
Okay, AC, here ya go.
Bunk’s Family Chili
Prep: 1 hour. Cooking time: 1 hour min.
5 quart crock pot or dutch oven.
Stock:
2 lb. lean Ground Beef /Ground Chuck
2 med. Size yellow onions (or 1 bag frozen diced onions)
2 green bell peppers
2 – 12 oz. cans Campbell’s Tomato Soup
2 – 8 oz. cans Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
2- 12 oz. cans chili beans (or pinto beans)
2 – 4 oz. cans mushroom stems and pieces
Spices:
1 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls black pepper
1 tbls chili powder
1 tbls crushed red pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 cube chicken bullion
Spaghetti or Macaroni.
Fine-grated sharp cheddar cheese.
- In an iron skillet, brown ground beef with garlic powder. When done, remove to crock pot, saving the “grease.” While ground beef is browning, dice onions and bell peppers.
- Brown onions in grease until soft. Add to crock pot and mix. Clean skillet.
- Add tomato soup, tomato sauce, rest of spices to crock pot and mix.
- Add canned beans (drained).
- Add diced bell peppers and (drained) mushroom stems and pieces and mix.
- Set crockpot on high until bubbling, then turn down to medium. Stir occasionally, sample for desired heat level. Cook for 1-hour minimum before serving.
- For hotter chili, add more chili powder and/or cumin.
- Serve over spaghetti or macaroni, top with grated cheddar cheese.
Serves about 8, more if you serve it over pasta.
Note that this is NOT Cincinnati chili, nor is it Texas Style as it has *gasp* beans in it and it’s not intended to blow your head off. It’s also more like a stew than a soup, and can be eaten with a fork. The pasta is optional, but if you have a large crowd it’ll keep you from having to make multiple batches. Beware, it goes fast.
If you have a large number of people, make multiple batches ahead of time and freeze them. A pan of jalapeno cornbread is a nice addition, too.
Next day leftovers are even better. If you try this recipe, lemme know how you like it.
Tacky Raccoons 