Grandpa T's Chili

My Dad has always been a good cook. My grandma loves to tell stories of the messes he would make in the kitchen as a small child. He once wrote a recipe on the inside of one of the kitchen cabinet doors. Grandma said she didn't have the heart to remove it, it was there until they moved. So, as it would happen my Dad still makes some pretty great recipes. This is one of my favorites.

This recipe is a little different than most chili recipes because the recipe was made with the intention of serving it with salsa. YOU MUST SERVE IT WITH YOUR FAVORITE SALSA! Ok, so you don't HAVE to but it is best served with salsa.

1 1/2 lb. coarse ground beef  *I use a packaged precut stew meat sold as beef carnitas meat mmm.
1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 t. oregano
2 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
2 dashes seasoning salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper

*1/4 t. smoked paprika

*1/4-1/2 t. chipotle chili powder

28 oz can stewed tomatoes
14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
16 oz can tomato sauce
oil for browning meat

1 lb dry beans, cooked

to cook beans separately:

1 lb. dry kidney or pinto beans

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Sort and rinse the beans. Soak overnight and simmer for about an hour and a half. For crock pot instructions see this blog.

*if you don't cook the beans ahead of time you can add 4 cans instead, personally I like a mix of different beans.

Brown the meat with the onion, garlic, herbs and spices. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and salt. Simmer an hour. Mix beans and chili together. Serve with salsa and your favorite garnishes.

* my additions to my Dad's original recipe.