Dina's Chili

 


Dina's Chili is so good any time of the year!  In the winter when you want to warm up, it is plain old comfort food.  Summer when the grill is warmed up and hamburgers are on the menu.  All you need, is to add a little chili, cheese and maybe some BBQ sauce and you have a great chili cheeseburger. 

Super Bowl parties are another great time to serve Dina's Chili.  It feeds a lot of people and it is wallet friendly.  I serve it with cheese, sour cream and green onions, but sometimes, I warm up hot dogs under the broiler and we make delicious, chili dogs.
  
this week on Dina's Diner that uses Dina's Chili on a new appetizer called Frito Pie.  Come back and take a look soon!


How to Make Dina's Chili

1.  Brown 2 pounds of ground beef.  Put this is a large soup pot.  I use an 8 quart dutch oven.  This soup will be on the stove for several hours on low heat.  You want something with a lid that can handle the heat.  You can also put this in a slow cooker on low.  Use your spatula to really break up the hamburger.  It makes for even bites of food later on when everything is put together.

2. Cut up the onion and cook it with the hamburger.  It adds a layer of flavor when you sauté the onions with the ground hamburger.  The onions pick up the flavors of the beef fat and this contributes to a better flavor than if you just throw them in with the liquids to cook.

3. Once the hamburger and onions are browned, add all the spices, tomatoes, tomato sauce and sugar.  You might be worried about 2 Tbsp. of chili powder, but I promise this is not hot.  It just adds flavor.

4.  Get this boiling and lower the heat.  Put the lid on and simmer for 2 hours.  

5.  About an hour before you are going to serve the chili, pour in the V-8 juice.  It really adds a lot of flavor.  It has a subtle taste of celery that adds a big punch of flavor.

6.  Add the canned beans with the juices in the cans.  Of course, if you like making your own beans instead of using canned beans, it all adds to the depth of flavor.  I have a tutorial on how to cook beans coming soon.
  
7.  Mix the masa flour with the water and  pour into the mixture.  Masa is a corn flour you can find next to the all purpose flour on the baking aisle. You can replace the masa with all purpose flour.  Stir until everything is well mixed. 
 
8. Bring everything to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer for another hour.
 
9.  Now you have the most delicious chili for any burgers, hot dogs, or Frito Pie.

 Let me know on Instagram or Pinterest if you make this.
  Post a picture and tag me @dinasdiner.  I want to know how it turns out.


Dina's Chili

2 lb. Hamburger
1 Large Onion
32 oz. Canned Tomatoes
16 oz. Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 Cans Kidney Beans
2 Cans Chili or Pinto Beans
2 - 12 oz. Cans V-8 Juice
1/3 C. Masa Flour
1/2 C. Water
1 C. Cheddar Cheese
1/2 C. Sour Cream
1/4 C. Green Onions

1.  Brown ground beef 
2. Cut up the onion and cook with ground beef.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, all spices and sugar.
4. Bring to a boil with lid on and then turn down to simmer for 2 hours.  Stir every 30 minutes.  (You can also use a slow cooker.)
5.  An hour before serving, add V-8 juice.  Stir well.
6.  Mix masa flour with water and then add.  Mix well.
7.  Add beans with all liquids in cans.
8.  Bring everything to a boil and then turn heat down to simmer.  Keep the lid on and simmer until you are ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
9.  Grate cheese.
10.  Place cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions out for toppings on the chili.