Mom's Chili

I am making my Mom's chili recipe today so I thought I would share.  It's pretty simple to make. I serve it with cornbread and butter on the side. Also a little dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheddar on top is nice.

1 to 1.5 lbs ground pork or beef. I prefer pork, I like the flavor better. Or you could mix them.
3 Tbs veg oil.
1 large green pepper chopped.
1 large yellow onion chopped.
3 cloves garlic, pressed.
1 stalk celery chopped. (optional)

1- 15oz can tomato sauce
3- 15oz cans chili beans
1- 28oz can whole tomatoes
p.s. I like more beans so I added a can of black, kidney, and great northern beans to my pot.

2 bay leaves whole
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (more if you like it spicier, I'm a whimp)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
ground pepper
(All the spices can be increased if you like a stronger taste. I don't usually measure these out, I just sprinkle.)

2 - 3 Tbls Cider Vinegar

Heat oil in a large soup pot on med/high heat. Saute green pepper and celery for 5 minutes, then add garlic and onion. Saute until they are beginning to soften. In the meantime, brown ground pork or beef in a separate skillet. Drain and add to the veggie mixture.

Add spices and stir. Continue to cook on medium heat for 5 minutes then add tomato sauce and chili beans. Open the can of whole tomatoes and cut up with pair of kitchen scissors while still in can.

Then add the whole thing, liquid and all to the mixture. Stir and bring to boil on medium heat. Then turn it to low and COVER. You want to retain as much liquid as you can for the 4 to 5 hours it cooks. Stir occasionally and check for burning or sticking on bottom. You may have to turn the heat to very low to keep this from happening. I even have to move my pot half way off the burner at times to keep it at a very low simmer.

The longer it cooks the better it is. You could eat it in a couple hours but the tomato base really hasn't had enough time to get really smooth tasting. I add cider vinegar during the last hour to give it that mouth watering tang. Try a tablespoon at a time until you reach the level you prefer. Vinegar REALLY makes all the difference in chili.