Saturday Thoughts...Home Canning Easy Chili with Beans

Home Canning Easy Chili with Beans  

 
After Michelle said she canned her chili recipe to take to work for lunches (she has a small kitchen in her shop), I thought that I had to try it with my easy chili recipe that uses already canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and chili beans in sauce.  I was worried that canning the recipe would make the beans too mushy, but I didn’t have to worry!  I had been freezing the extra servings of this chili, but I liked canning it so much I have already made a second batch!   I canned them in my 10 quart All-American Pressure Canner.  
I use the smaller jars (about 1 ½ cups) in chili mac, tamale bake or chili with hominy or corn, or over fritos, (or topped with fritos); over baked potatoes, or over hot dogs for the two of us or as chili for one.

                     
Home Canned Easy Chili with Beans
  2      pounds  ground beef -- thawed
  1      cup  onion -- chopped
     ½  cup  green pepper -- chopped
  2      15 ounce cans  canned tomatoes -- diced 2 cans
  2      15 ounce cans  canned chili beans in sauce -- 2 cans
  2      8 ounce cans  tomato sauce -- 2 small cans
  5      pints  jars, rings, lids
  2      12 ounce  jars, rings, lids
Thaw beef overnight if frozen, prepare onion and green pepper ahead or use frozen.  
Get out canner, jars, lids and rings and let come to room temperature.
Get out tools:  jar tongs, jar lifter, plastic knife, lid magnet, slotted spoon and ladle, jar funnel, jar filling pan with paper towels, 2 quarter sheet pans lined with paper towels or towels for cooling jars.
Prepare canner with 2 – 3 quarts water; heat with jars to warm them; prepare lids in simmered water, let stand 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, brown beef, green pepper and onion.  Drain if needed.
Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.
After bringing to a boil, pour into five pint jars and two 12 ounce jars, leaving 1" headspace, and filling 3/4 full with solids and finishing with liquid to 1" level.  Can 1 hour 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure for 1000' altitude.  
2020:  65¢ per serving...$1.30 per pint, 98¢ per 12 ounce jar using sale ingredients

Here are a few recipes to use with your chili with beans. 

 

                    
                                Chili Mac
  1 1/2         ounces  Elbow Macaroni -- or cellentani (1 1/2 ounce)
  1 1/2         cups  chili with beans
  1               ounce  cheddar cheese -- shredded
Cook macaroni 7 minutes, drain.
Combine all ingredients except cheese; mix well.
BRING to boil; cover. Simmer on low heat 5 min., stirring occasionally, or until macaroni is done. Serve topped with cheese.
Or cook macaroni, drain and add to 1 1/2 cups hot chili.  Serve topped with cheese.
                 

        Tamale and Chili Bake

  1 ½    Cups  chili with beans
  2        Canned Tamales -- 2 Tamales for recipe (Freeze the extras)
  3        Tablespoons  Onion -- chopped
  1        ounce  Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Pour chili into two greased individual oval casseroles. Unwrap tamales and place on top of sauce.  
Top with onion and cheese and bake at 350° until bubbling hot, about 20-30 minutes.
                 

  Chili with Hominy
Combine 1 ½ cups Chili with beans and ½ can golden hominy, rinsed and drained; heat through.  Serves 2.  (You can substitute whole kernel corn for the hominy.)