Very common in the United States, chili (or chilli) spread in Texas in the mid-19th century as a dish sold by the “reinas del chili“, or the chili queens, who were street vendors of chili.
Connoisseurs have long debated the naming of the dish, whether beans and tomatoes are part of the traditional recipe, and whether it includes meat, which is why it is often called Chili con carne to clarify the recipe.
Now a “Tex-Mex” dish, in its original recipe, which comes from Mexico, the dish includes: beans (black or red), ground meat, peppers, and tomato pulp, with added spices such as chili pepper and cumin.
In Mexico, it is considered a dish that combines picadillo with chili (pepper) and los frijoles refritos, Mexican beans (discover them here).
You can also find the recipe in the book “In cibo veritas, cucina creativa e etnica”
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs mixed ground meat (or only beef)
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 fresh chili pepper (Mexican)
- 1 to taste ground cumin
- to taste coriander (or parsley)
- 14 oz tomatoes
- to taste beef broth
- 1 tsp sugar
- 14 oz red and/or black beans
- to taste olive oil
- to taste salt
Preparation
After soaking the beans overnight, boil them in a pot with plenty of water, salting them only at the end of cooking after about 1 and a half hours.
Prepare a sauté with garlic and onion, add the beans, cumin, and salt, and cook for a few minutes over medium heat, adding water if necessary.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, preferably cast iron, meanwhile chop the onion which will be added to the saucepan along with the whole garlic and the green bell pepper cut into chunks.
Let everything simmer, lowering the heat when the sauté is heated.
At this point, add the chili pepper, coriander, and cumin; stir to distribute the spices well.
When the onion is well browned, add the meat to the saucepan and brown it until it has completely changed color, which will take about 20 minutes.
At this point, add the beans, and enough broth to prevent the mixture from drying out too much.
Let cook for about 20-30 minutes over low heat.
Add the tomatoes, salt, and sugar.
Let it simmer for another ten minutes, then serve the chili con carne hot.
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What is Picadillo?
It is prepared with ground meat, usually beef, but often a mix of pork and beef, tomatoes, and sometimes raisins, olives, and other ingredients depending on the region of origin.
Its name comes from the Spanish term picar, which means “to chop”.
The most widespread traditional recipe in Mexico uses ground meat, carrots, and potatoes, cooked in a sauce made of tomatoes, garlic, and onion seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin.
