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A sizzling skillet filled with ground beef chili, surrounded by various ingredients and spices

Ground Beef Chili Skillet

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 15-ounce cans chili beans
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat and drain the fat.
  2. Add the onion and cook until softened.
  3. Stir in the chili powder and cumin and let them bloom in the fat for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it darkens slightly.
  5. Stir in the tomato sauce and chili beans and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Notes

80/20 adds flavor but needs draining; 90/10 skips the draining step but tastes drier. Browning the tomato paste before adding liquid gives a richer flavor. Chili beans are pre-seasoned kidney or pinto beans - plain beans work but adjust your seasoning. Blooming the cumin and chili powder in fat before the liquid boosts flavor significantly. A skillet comes together faster; use a Dutch oven for longer simmers and bigger batches.