Sausage and Beef Chile

This recipe came from my mother's recipe box.  I have eaten it before, but it isn't something I ate often growing up.  I made it at home with my mother during the holidays.

I had a wonderful Christmas and New Years.  My only complaint is I caught a cold.  I seem to catch a cold every Christmas.  In my regular life, I'm not around children.  During Christmas I see my nieces and nephews, and one of them inevitably has a cold.

The origin of Chili is uncertain.  According to the International Chili Society, Aztec, Incas and Mayans ate meat and bean dish long before Columbus came to the Americas.  The green chili pepper was brought to what is now New Mexico in 1598.  

Immigrants from the Canary Islands came to San Antonio as early as 1723.   They used peppers, onions, and meat to make a savory meat dish similar to what they had eaten in their native land.  

Although chili's origin is unclear, it is considered an American dish.  You'll be glad to know that national chili day is February 25.  Mark your calendars!

The ingredients of this chili are 2 onion, 2 pound ground beef, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin,  16 ounces tomato paste, 1/4 cup hot sauce, 2 cans red kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 28 ounces sausage, and 5 to 6 cups tomato juice.

I added the chopped onions, paprika, ground cumin, tomato sauce, and ground beef to a big pot.  I let these ingredients simmer over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes.

After seven minutes, I added the drained and rinsed beans, chopped sausage, hot sauce, and tomato juice.

The chili continued to simmer for about 40 minutes.  I don't think 40 minutes is required, but the chile was thick and the flavors had melted well after that amount of time.

This was a delicious and savory chili.  It was thick, meaty, and hearty.

The hot sauce we used was spicy, so the chili had some heat.  I enjoyed the level of spice.  It had kick, but it wasn't overwhelming.

I enjoyed the flavorful sausage bits and the tender and smooth beans.  This is a scrumptious dish that's fully of yummy, smoky flavors.