Craig Claiborne's No-Salt Chili Con Carne
Submitted by diddle
Craig Claiborne’s salt-free chili con carne with coarse-ground beef, hot and mild dried chiles, cumin, oregano, and red wine vinegar. Bold flavor without a grain of salt.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
READY
Leave it to Craig Claiborne, the legendary New York Times food editor, to prove that chili con carne doesn’t need a single grain of salt to pack a punch.
This recipe leans hard on dried chiles (both hot and mild), cumin, oregano, and a splash of red wine vinegar to build layers of flavor that your taste buds won’t miss the salt in.
Coarse-ground beef gives the chili a rustic, meaty texture, while a touch of chile caribe adds smoky heat that lingers just long enough.
It simmers for a full hour, long enough for the tomatoes to break down and the spices to meld into something deeply satisfying.
Chef Tips
- Use coarse-ground beef, not fine. Ask your butcher to grind it on the coarse setting, or pulse chunks briefly in a food processor. The texture makes a huge difference.
- Two types of dried chile (hot and mild) create complexity without relying on salt. Don’t substitute with generic chili powder; the real thing matters here.
- Red wine vinegar brightens everything. That tablespoon of acid does the heavy lifting that salt would normally do, pulling flavors forward and keeping things lively.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.
Add the onions and green pepper and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the meat with the garlic, ground chile, cumin, and oregano.
Stir to blend.
Add the meat to the skillet.
Break up any lumps with a fork, stirring occasionally until the meat is evenly browned.
Add the bay leaf, pepper, tomatoes, vinegar, and caribe.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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