4 Lbs ground beef
2 Lbs ground pork
2 medium onions - diced
1 green pepper - diced
3 - 29 Oz cans tomato sauce
2 - 12 Oz cans tomato paste
1 can chili beans (mild) (pinto beans)
(cook to soften, drain)
Seasonings and herb amounts are to your preferred taste:
salt
pepper
cumin
oregano
basil
chili powder
onion powder
garlic powder
Cook the ground beef in a skillet. As it cooks add small amounts of the seasonings and herbs. Don't cook it crispy though, stop cooking when it's cooked to a safe temp but still tender. When the ground beef is done, drain it really well and dump the meat into a large pot.
Prepare the ground pork the same way as the ground beef. Drain and add it to the pot.
Then repeat the process with the chopped onion and green peppers. You will need to add a little EVOO to the skillet to keep the veg from sticking/burning. Drain and add it to the pot.
Then dump the canned beans in the skillet and add just a little water to prevent them from sticking/burning (I did not add seasoning to the beans). Cook until tender, drain and add it to the pot.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and 1 cup water
Stir very well!
Once you get all the ingredients combined in the pot, taste it; then let it warm through BEFORE you add any more seasoning at all. As you heat it the herbs intensify and the chili powder will activate. After it's warmed through, taste it again and add any more seasonings/herbs that you feel it needs.
NOTES:
We don't like a lot of beans in our chili. You can also add other things like jalapenos, different kinds of beans, red/orange/yellow peppers - whatever your family likes.
TIPS:
**Season each layer as you cook it
(go easy on the salt, you're compounding it over layers plus whats already in the canned sauce)
**Unless you like super spicy hot, go easy on the chili powder in your layers.
You can use any kind of cornbread you like - boxed, homemade, store bought, etc. We like homemade.
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