Chilli con carne recipe
I’ve been eating what we in Australia know as chilli con carne since childhood. Why not? It’s simple to prepare, low budget and loved by kids and adults alike. It wasn’t until I started researching the history of this beloved chilli recipe that I realised what a controversial dish it is to Americans. I won’t say that vendettas and feuds have been started over what should and shouldn’t go into a bowl of traditional chilli con carne (or chili, for those in the US) but there’s a lot of passionate opinion around the subject.
Opening a can of beans: should chilli con carne contain beans?
Known as the state dish of Texas, locals are adamant that a proper con carne should contain no tomato and no beans! Instead chunks of beef are simmered in ground smoked chilli with stock.
Here in Australia, we’re a bit more relaxed, to us it’s just beef, tomatoes and beans with a hit of chilli in our chilli con carne recipe. Our favourite chilli con carne recipe adds a couple of capsicums for good measure. This versatile chili con carne recipe serves eight, so freeze half for later, ready to be served on baked potatoes, corn chips or rice and topped with pickled jalapenos, shredded cheese and sour cream or rolled in burritos or baked into enchiladas.
What is chilli con carne made of?
Aussie chilli con carne is made on ground beef mince. We’ve gone with 5-star lean mince, which has helped give our chilli recipe a 8.8 health rating. Rather than using a combination of spices, we’ve used Mexican chilli powder, which is a mix of paprika, chilli, cumin and oregano. Adding the fresh chilli is up to you – add more or omit, it all depends on your heat tolerance. Some like to add extra ground coriander and a topping of fresh coriander too. Capsicum and chilli are from the same family so we’ve added a couple for extra fibre and colour. A traditional Texan chilli uses smoky dried chillies, but we’ve cheated by using smoked bacon.
Chilli con carne (or 'chili con carne' in the US) was an early invention in what later became known as Tex Mex cuisine, where Mexican flavours were added to dishes that were actually developed in Texas.
- Step 1Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 15 minutes or until browned.
- Step 2Add onions, capsicums, garlic and chopped chilli. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add chilli powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Step 3Add tomatoes and 1 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until sauce has reduced slightly.
- Step 4Add beans. Increase heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes or until beans are heated through and sauce has thickened. Serve chilli with toppings.
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