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Recipe for Chili Con Carne

Protein packed chili with beans, beef, and fresh vegetables developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Chili Con Carne in a pan.

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page. Share your results with us on Twitter @CDENutrition External link opens in new window or tab..

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields one–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pan of chili con carne for 50 servings: ¾ cup or one–6 ounce ladle.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 3 pounds frozen raw ground beef, 85 percent lean meat and 15 percent fat (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 1 pound and 3 ounces or 3½ cups ready-to-use, fresh yellow onions, diced
  • 1 pound and 3 ounces or 2¾ cups ready-to-use, fresh green bell peppers, diced
  • ¼ cup and 2½ teaspoons chili powder
  • ¼ cup and ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ cup and ¾ teaspoon granulated garlic
  • ¼ cup and ¾ teaspoon granulated onion
  • 2 tablespoons and 1¼ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons and 1¼ teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 1¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 quart and 1 cup water
  • 3 pounds and 14 ounces or 1 quart and 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (USDA food item)
  • 1 pound and 10 ounces or ¼ number 10 can tomato paste (USDA food item)
  • ⅞ number 10 can kidney beans (USDA food item)
  • ⅞ number 10 can pinto beans (USDA food item)

Directions

  1. Thaw ground beef in refrigerator at 41°F or lower one or two days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw meat in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  2. Brown ground beef over high heat in stock pot or tilt skillet. Once browned, remove from stock pot, drain to remove excess fat; set aside.
  3. Sauté onions until translucent.
  4. Add peppers and continue to sauté for additional 5 minutes.
  5. Add meat to onion and pepper mixture.
  6. Combine chili powder, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, cumin, salt, pepper, water, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
  7. Rinse and drain kidney and pinto beans. Add to meat mixture.
  8. Stir ingredients until well combined.
  9. Continue to simmer for 2 hours, stirring frequently. CCP: Cook to 165°F or higher for 15 seconds.
  10. Pour chili into one–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pan. Hold for service. CCP: Hold at 135°F or higher for service.
  11. Portion ¾ cup or one–6 ounce ladle chili into 1 cup individual bowls or similar sized containers.
  12. Serve ¾ cup or one–6 ounce ladle chili for each serving.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 135.00
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 17.90
  • Protein, in grams: 9.70
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 1.40
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 3.80
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 386.00

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans of chili con carne for 100 servings: ¾ cup or one–6 ounce ladle.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 6 pounds frozen raw ground beef, 85 percent lean meat and 15 percent fat (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 2 pounds and 6 ounces or 1 quart and 3 cups ready-to-use fresh yellow onions, diced
  • 2 pounds and 6 ounces or 1 quart and 1½ cups ready-to-use fresh green bell peppers, diced
  • ½ cup and 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ cup and 1½ teaspoons paprika
  • ½ cup and 1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
  • ½ cup and 1½ teaspoons granulated onion
  • ¼ cup and 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ¼ cup and 2½ teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 3½ teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 quarts and 2 cups water
  • 7 pounds and 12 ounces or 2 quarts and 2 cups canned diced tomatoes (USDA food item)
  • 3 pounds and 4 ounces or ½ number 10 can tomato paste (USDA food item)
  • 1¾ number 10 can kidney beans (USDA food item)
  • 1¾ number 10 can pinto beans (USDA food item)

Directions

  1. Thaw ground beef in refrigerator at 41°F or lower one or two days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw meat in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  2. Brown ground beef over high heat in stock pot or tilt skillet. Once browned, remove from stock pot, drain to remove excess fat; set aside.
  3. Sauté onions until translucent.
  4. Add peppers and continue to sauté for additional 5 minutes.
  5. Add meat to onion and pepper mixture.
  6. Combine chili powder, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, cumin, salt, pepper, water, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
  7. Rinse and drain kidney and pinto beans. Add to meat mixture.
  8. Stir ingredients until well combined.
  9. Continue to simmer for 2 hours, stirring frequently. CCP: Cook to 165°F or higher for 15 seconds.
  10. Pour chili into two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pan. Hold for service. CCP: Hold at 135°F or higher for service.
  11. Portion ¾ cup or one–6 ounce ladle chili into 1 cup individual bowls or similar sized containers.
  12. Serve ¾ cup or one–6 ounce ladle chili for each serving.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 135.00
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 17.90
  • Protein, in grams: 9.70
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 1.40
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 3.80
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 386.00

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Soups, stews, chili recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield 50 or yield 100–¾ cup servings (one–6 ounce ladle)

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • ½ cup vegetable (¼ cup red/orange vegetable and ¼ cup other vegetable)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Raw frozen ground beef, 85 percent lean meat and15 percent fat
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Canned tomato paste
  • Canned pinto beans

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • Southwest USA
  • Central and South America
  • Mediterranean

Preparation Time

  • Preparation to serve time: 2 hours and 45 minutes for 50 servings and 3 hours for 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Thaw ground beef in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  • CCP: Cook chili con carne to 165°F or higher for 15 seconds.
  • CCP: Hold chili con carne at 135°F for service.

Kid Rating

Five-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Centralia Elementary School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Monday, June 12, 2023
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