Alright, folks, let’s talk about this chili recipe. I saw a lot of chatter online about the Carroll Shelby chili mix and how it’s changed, so I figured I’d give it a whirl and see what the fuss is all about. I grabbed one of those kits and got down to business.
First thing’s first, I browned up some ground beef in my trusty old skillet. Once that was cooked through, I drained off the grease. No one wants a greasy chili, am I right?
- About 2 pounds of ground beef, give or take.
Next, I tossed in the tomato sauce, some water, and that spice packet that comes with the kit. Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The kit comes with a little cayenne pepper packet, and they tell you to leave it out if you want it mild. Well, I like a little kick, so in it went!
- One 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
- About a cup of water.
- The whole spice packet from the kit.
I also decided to add my two cents after reading a few things online. I threw in a splash of beer, some crushed red chile flakes, a few cloves of minced garlic, and a chopped onion. For good measure, I also added a sprinkle of oregano, paprika, and a teaspoon of cumin, just like some folks suggested.
- Half a can of beer (drink the rest, you deserve it).
- A pinch of crushed red chile flakes, because why not?
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced.
- One medium onion, chopped.
- A teaspoon of oregano.
- A teaspoon of paprika.
- A teaspoon of cumin.
Get it simmering
After all that good stuff was in the pot, I gave it a good stir and let it simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes, like some instructions I found suggested. The house started to smell pretty darn amazing, if I do say so myself. After 45 minutes, I threw a can of kidney beans and let it keep going for another hour. You gotta let those flavors mingle, you know?
- One can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
Now, about that color change people were talking about. I gotta say, I did notice a difference. The chili I made seemed a bit lighter in color than what I remember from back in the day. Maybe it’s the new mix, maybe it’s just me. Who knows? But, in the end, it was still a darn tasty bowl of chili. I served it up with some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Boom! Dinner is served.
It was a fun little cooking adventure, and it definitely brought back some memories. Plus, it was a good excuse to crack open a beer while cooking.
