Ron's Campfire Chili #1
There are a million variations of this recipe and this is just one of them. Feel free to experiment and make it your own. I make this one on a wood fire while camping and it serves 2 healthy appetites or three normal ones. This works fine with a 3 qt cast iron Dutch oven, but I like to use the 5 qt because if someone else shows up hungry you can easily add whatever you have in camp to stretch it out. This recipe is tangy but not hot. Adjust to your taste.
1 LB hamburg - I use the leanest I can find, but whatever
you prefer is best.
1 large onion - Vidalia are nice but too mild. I prefer a pungent yellow or white onion.
Slice, chop, dice or however you prefer them.
1 large RIPE tomato - cut up into 2 or 3 inch pieces.
1 16 oz can black beans
1 16 oz can red kidney beans
1 Red bell pepper - you can use any color you would like but the red adds a sweetness that
compliments the hot stuff.
three shakes crushed red pepper
3 splashes jalapeno sauce
garlic to taste - I usually use a powder when camping but fresh chopped up fine is
excellent.
Warm the dutch oven on a grate over a hot fire (more coals
than flame).
Pour just enough of your favorite oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
Sauté the onions, tomato and bell pepper, stirring as needed until they start to soften.
Add the hamburg and mix well, cover and allow the hamburg to brown..
Add both cans of beans. the jalapeno sauce, the garlic and the crushed red pepper, mix
well and cover again.
Stirring frequently allows you to monitor the texture. If the fire is too hot the chili may thicken too much. Add a little water if needed but be careful not to make it too watery.
If you experiment and come up with a variation you like please send me the recipe and I will add it here for all to enjoy.
