Mom’s Alabama Chili Recipe

As the days start to cool, the leaves start to turn Mom’s Alabama Chili recipe seems like the perfect Sunday afternoon meal. I even put football on the tele while I was making it and we don’t watch football! Mom has two chili recipes one is white bean (my favorite) and the other is a red bean chili (Alabama Chili). Andy and the girls prefer the red bean recipe which in all honest does feel more appropriate for fall.

Mom’s chili which dates back to 1989 has been in the family for quite some time, although I’m not sure of its origin other than its mom’s recipe. I’ve done some tweaks to it over the years so the recipe that follows is a combination of the both of us!

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1 medium size onion (chopped finely – mom/ chopped coarsely – me)

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 can large tomatoes (I use diced tomatoes)

1-2 cans red kidney beans (I use 2 cans)

2-3 tablespoons of Chili powder (according to taste)

½ teaspoon of garlic powder

2 tablespoons of vinegar

Directions:

Brown the ground beef, stirring constantly in a saucepan so it doesn’t burn. Add onions and mix. When the onions are translucent, add tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, chili powder, garlic power and mix well. Then add vinegar – it’s what gives this Chili its special tangy taste. Stir it occasionally. After about an hour, serve it over elbow macaroni pasta (which you cook via the directions on the box) with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a few oyster crackers to top it all off! Serve it with a lovely glass or red wine, a pumpkin beer or apple cider.

PS – left over Alabama Chili is wonderful over a baked potato!

Bon Appetit!