Oct 08 2016
A pretty day but the winds made it feel pretty chilly. I have been hungry for chili so it was a nice day to fix a batch. I knew the wife likes thick sauce chili but I was hungry for my Wendy’s style chili with a thinner sauce. I used my Instant Pot and next time I will get some ground round 90-10 mix and do it all in the pot. I had a pound and half of ground chuck 80-20 so I used a CI skillet to brown it; that made it easier to drain off most of the fat.
After browning the beef I added all to the pot and mixed well. I put it on sauté until it boiled a while then went to slow cook normal mode. It was on over 4 hours when we ate. I did correct the seasoning with more chili powder and salt. I only used 1 can of beans and since I just had 1 ½ pounds of beef I just added 3 cups of water. In the ingredients pic the celery is missing, I thought the wife was coming home after church with it but she did other running before! I added it in later.
We both had it with saltines and butter and didn’t want any toppings. You see I did add some more mustard to mine; I like that more sour taste it gives it.
Smokin Don
My Wendys Style Chili final
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef, I use ground chuck and drain the grease off
1 med. onion, chopped
1 or 2 stalks celery diced small
3 Tbs. chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes, I use fire roasted
1 small can diced green chilies
1 to 2 14oz. cans pinto beans
1 Tbs. yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups water
Hot sauce for the table
Directions:
Brown up the ground beef. I do it in two batches and add half the celery and onions to each one. I like to add at least one TBS of the chili powder to the meat. I drain the grease off in a colander.
Place it in a large pot on med heat and add in the dry seasonings. Let cook a few minutes then add in the rest of the ingredients. Bring it to a boil and then down to a low simmer and cook about 3 hours. I put a lid on the last hour.
Serve with shredded cheese and crème fraiche or sour cream for on top. We all like some buttered saltines with the chili.
Note: Just use one can pinto beans for a meatier version. If you like heat by all means add more.
