VERY very bland chili (Of course this could be guessed just by looking at the list of ingredients) If you want this to taste anything like what you would expect out of chili be prepared to add 3 tbsp. Chili Powder oregano and cumin maybe some diced jalapenos and cayenne pepper to taste. This just tasted like beef and beans with tomato flavor (wait...thats pretty much what it is!!)
Instead of chili beans I used kidney beans. I had to add the following ingredients to give the chili more flavor. Salt cumin cilantro chili powder bay leaf garlic and some dry red wine. This helped to make it a delicious mild type of chili. I served it over polenta with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
I wasn't able to find canned chili beans at my grocery store so I just used a canned bean mix and chili powder. It turned out great and I am able to make it as spicy or mild as we want. I also found that it was still too runny in the cook time given so it either needs to be left on longer to reduce or the canned tomatoes need to be drained a little first.
Used the suggestions of some of the other reviewers and added spices and instead of just regular diced tomatoes I got diced tomatoes with chilies. Also added black beans as well.
The last review must have forgoten about the "chili beans". Chili beans come complete with chili flavored liquid. I think she might have boo boo'd on the ingredients.
This is really close to how my mom always made chili when I was growing up. She kept things simple and sometimes simplicity is best. I used 2 cans of hot chili beans undrained with two large cans of crushed tomatoes undrained. I added a packet of chili seasoning mix and left out the green pepper. The canned chili beans come in chili juice so I think it would be fine without the seasoning packet.
I think this is a great base recipe. I have used this with several substitutes based on what I had on hand. I've used with a bottom round cubed up very small when I didn't have ground hamburger. I used green chiles when I didn't have green pepper. Very versatile very flexible. I just toss it all in the slow cooker for about 4-5 hours on high. Thank you for sharing!
I am giving this five stars due to the work vs. reward. Sure there are better chili recipes out there but they also call for tons of ingredients more work and lots of simmering. If it's quick satisfying and tasty that you're looking for this is great; it's cheap to make too. I made mine with Johnsonville Italian sausage this time but it's great with ground beef too. Also try using different types of diced tomatoes such as the ones with green chilis. I like mine with cheese and crushed-up saltines.:)
I liked the taste of the chili. The only problem is that I thought it turned out too dry I would like the chili to either be a little more watery or have a thick sauce around it.
