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Beef Chili Cheese Nachos

Last Modified: 12/09/09
First Published: 11/22/09
Views: 1891
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Views: 1891

Beef Chili Cheese Nachos

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Measurements
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General Info
Servings: 6
Total Cost: $6.08
Cost Per Serving: $1.01
Total Calories: 811
Calories/Serving: 135
IngredientVolumeMassCostCalorie
Beef, Ground * 1.00 Pound $4.05 567
Black Pepper, Ground 1 Teaspoon 2.13 Grams $0.02 5
Salt, Kosher 1 1/2 Teaspoon 7.20 Grams $0.02 0
Cayenne Pepper 1/4 Teaspoon 0.44 Gram $0.01 1
Chili Powder 1 Teaspoon 2.50 Grams $0.16 8
Cumin, Ground 1 Teaspoon 2.10 Grams $0.15 8
Paprika 2 Teaspoons 4.60 Grams $0.30 13
Chili Power, Homemade 2 Teaspoons 4.13 Grams $0.13 20
Onion, Yellow Diced 1 Cup 160.00 Grams $0.35 67
Tomato Paste 2 Tablespoons 33.00 Grams $0.12 25
Tequila, Light 3 Tablespoons 1.50 Ounces $0.77 96

We have made cheese nachos before, but this time we wanted them as a whole meal. So we knew we needed some meat and this was a great opportunity to make a quick beef chili. The cheese you want to use does not matter as much as the quality of the chili so you can use cheddar, monteray jack, asiago or just about anything else and it will come out great. The result was really better than anything we have ever had out at either a Mexican restaurant or a place that serves chili cheese fries.

spicy Beef Chili

How to make a simple Beef Chili

The key to browning ground beef is to have a large enough pan, we like to use a good solid 12 inch frying pan with about 1 pound of beef.

This size pan will give you enough room to render out the water from the meat. You do not want to pool up the water and accidently boil the meat instead of brown it.

At this point add a little (1 - 2 tablespoons) of good olive oil, then the onions and finally the spices. You can really vary the spices you use to create many different types of chili, but now is the time to add them since you want them to really work into the oil. Using a good olive oil when introducing your spices works to enhance their flavor. Work this all together for a few minutes and then add the tomato paste, use a little at first and then add some more if you want a rich texture.

If you want your chili to have a little more substance then you can add a little (1-2 tablespoons) flour to thicken up the mix. Just work it in and let the flour taste cook away and bring the whole mix to a boil.

Unless you are familiar with the many chilis available in the US you might not realize that the tastes and textures vary from light and sweet to bold and spicy. And the texture varys from thick to watery to grainy depending on the type being prepared. We once were in a restaurant in the South that served 10-15 different types of beef chili and they were all completely different.

Layering the nachos

In a 9 x 13 inch dish layer the nachos and the chili, add a little cheese and jalapenos peppers and repeat. Then bake in a 350° F oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until everything is brown and hot.