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Mild Beef and Bean Cafeteria Chili
Rachel Kim

Mild Beef and Bean Cafeteria Chili

This is tray-line chili rather than a cook-off bowl: tomato-rich, lightly spiced and thick with ground beef and kidney beans. A five-quart Dutch oven makes eight school-size servings instead of gallons. Masa harina gives the broth the faint corn flavor and spoon-coating texture that many institutional chili mixes supplied.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 tbsp mild chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cans 15 oz each kidney beans, drained
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp masa harina
  • 1/4 cup water

Method
 

  1. Brown beef and onion in a Dutch oven and drain excess fat.
  2. Stir in chili powder, cumin and garlic powder for 30 seconds.
  3. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, brown sugar and salt and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Whisk masa harina with water, stir it into the chili and simmer 5 minutes more.
  6. Rest off heat for 5 minutes before ladling into bowls.