Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Chili con Carne with Tortilla Chips & Fresh Tomatoes
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the chili
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 lbs (900 g) ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 jalapeños, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans (14 oz/400 g each) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 2–6 drops Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce, depending on your heat tolerance
For serving
- Tortilla chips
- 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and jalapeños and cook for another minute.
- Mix in the cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and beef broth. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the kidney beans during the last 15 minutes if using.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce one drop at a time, stirring well and tasting after each addition. Because the sauce is extremely hot, a little goes a long way.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
To Serve
Ladle the chili into bowls and top with:
- Fresh diced tomatoes
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cilantro
Serve with crunchy tortilla chips on the side for dipping or crumbling over the chili for extra texture.
Heat Tip
Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce is exceptionally spicy. If you're cooking for a group, keep the base chili mild and let each person add extra hot sauce to their own bowl. This gives everyone control over the spice level while preserving the rich beef and tomato flavors.