YUM! Chorizo Chili Beans (My Mama’s Recipe)

Raised by a single mom, I grew up with very little luxuries. But one thing we never lacked was good food. My mom always found a way of stretching a meal to feed our family. Since beans are a very inexpensive protein they were frequently on the menu.

This recipe for chorizo chili beans was always a favorite in our house. When my mom made it for get-togethers she always brought home an empty pot and was hounded for the recipe. But my mom never, ever used recipes, she just threw what she had together. I learned how to make this chili by watching her and I’ve got it down pat (shhhh, mine might even be a little better than hers, but don’t tell her I said that).

The end result of this chili is spicy, hearty and versatile. Ladle it over chips and add cheese for nachos, spoon it over a beef frank for a delicious chili dog or just eat it warm from a bowl, topped with sour cream and cheese. It’s also a great side dish to grilled steaks and delicious for breakfast the next day; serve it over a couple sunny-side-up eggs for a south-of-the-border start to your day. YUM! This recipe makes a lot so be sure to invite some company to share the goodness.

Oh, and my mom’s secret to preventing an evening of toots (haha) after eating a bowl of beans is to drain them after they’ve been boiling for 20-25 minutes. Then add fresh water and then continue cooking. She did it. I do it. You should do it. It works.

The hot shots of the recipe: onion, beans, chili powder, garlic, ground beef and Mexican chorizo. Muy caliente!

Add your beans to a big soup pot and cover with water. The beans need to be submerged with about 2 inches of water on top (about 6 cups). Once the beans have been boiling for about 20 minutes remove them from the stove and drain out the water (my mom calls this de-gassing the beans).

 Return the beans to the pot and cover them with fresh water. Return to stove and add a chunked up onion, garlic, salt, pepper and chili powder. Boil for about an hour or until beans are tender. Remove about one cup of the cooked beans and mash them up. Hold the mashed beans aside.

 While the beans are boiling you can start on the meat. Add one pound of ground beef and two rolls of Mexican chorizo sausage to a large skillet. You can use beef or pork chorizo; I like prefer pork. Break up the beef and chorizo and make sure they are combined. Cook until done, stirring to prevent burning.

Add the chorizo mixture directly into the pot of cooked beans.

Remember those smashed beans I told you about three photos up? You need them now. The mashed beans help thicken up your chili and make it hearty and make it robust and yummy! I used a blender to mash up mine but a potato masher works just as well.

 Mix everything together and continue to cook over low heat for another 10 minutes.

 YUMMY!

 You can serve it up topped with cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

 My favorite way to eat this chili is over an all all beef hot dog, tucked in a warm bun and topped with cheese and diced onion.

 Nachos anyone?

Mama’s Chorizo Chili Beans

Ingredients:

• 2 16 Ounce Rolls of Mexican Chorizo (beef or pork)
• 1 Pound Ground Beef
• 1 1/2 Pounds of Dried Pinto Beans
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, cut into chunks
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
• 1/2 TBS of Chili Powder
• Enough Water to Cover the Beans
• Salt and Pepper

Directions: 

1. Add the beans to a large soup pot and cover with water. Make sure there is about 2 inches of water above the beans. Boil for about 20 minutes.
2. Drain the beans and return to the pot. Cover with the same amount of water as first step. Return to the stove ad boil for one hour.
3. While beans are cooking start on the meat. Add the ground beef and chorizo to a large skillet and cook until done (about 10 minutes). Be sure to break up the ground beef and make sure the chorizo is mixed up well with the beef. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
4. When the beans are done cooking, remove about one cup of beans and mash or puree. Return the mashed beans to the pot of cooked beans to help thicken the chili.
5. Add the chorizo mixture to the pot of cooked beans and stir. Cook for another 10 minutes over low heat.
6. Serve, eat and enjoy!