BUCKHORN CLIFFSA preparedness field manual

Food · Recipe

Food Storage Chili (Canned Beef and Beans)

One-pot chili recipe made from canned ground beef, canned beans and tomatoes, and dried spices, with fresh substitutions.

Quick facts

  • Meat1 (1lb 12oz) can Keystone Meats Ground Beef
  • Beans2 (15oz) cans kidney beans
  • Simmer timeAbout 15 minutes
  • Broth swap1 bouillon cube per cup of water
  • Onion swap1/2 yellow onion for 2 Tbsp dried minced onions
  • Canned beef shelf lifeKeystone lists 5 years; realistically 5 to 10 stored cool and dry

The food shopping list: what to buy, how much, shelf life

This Food Storage Chili is made mostly from shelf-stable ingredients, so it's a hearty meal you can cook from the pantry in an emergency or any other night.

What you'll need

  • 1 (1lb 12oz) can Keystone Meats Ground Beef
  • 2 Tbsp Dried Minced Onions*
  • 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder (or 6 cloves Garlic, minced)**
  • 2 (15oz) cans Kidney Beans
  • 1 (6oz) can Tomato Paste
  • 2 (15oz) cans Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 (7oz) can Diced Green Chiles
  • 2 Tbsp Honey
  • 6 Tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 cups Beef Broth (or 2 cups Water with 2 bouillon cubes)***
The Preparedness Food Shopping List (PDF), a one page printable PDF

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What to store, how much of it for one person for one month, and how long it keeps. One page with checkboxes, built from the Survival Foods field guide. Print it, multiply by your people and months, and take it to the store.

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Steps

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large pot.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the chili simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it thickens to your desired consistency.
  4. Serve hot and enjoy the comforting, savory flavors of a meal made from long-term food storage.

Recipe Notes:

  1. *Instead of dried minced onions, you can use 1/2 of a yellow onion. Simply dice it up and sauté in a little butter or oil until softened before adding the remaining ingredients.
  2. **If you have fresh garlic on hand, use 6 minced cloves, or 3 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic. Sauté the garlic with the onions until softened and fragrant.
  3. ***No beef broth? Substitute with chicken or veggie broth, or use 1 bouillon cube per cup of water for a similar flavor.

Storage and shelf life

This recipe uses ingredients that store for a long time, so it fits a preparedness pantry. Commercially canned beef is preserved by pressure cooking in the sealed can, not by the salt. Keystone lists a 5 year shelf life, and stored cool and dry with no dents or rust it realistically keeps 5 to 10 years. The other canned goods and dried spices used in this chili are also shelf-stable, so you can keep everything for it on hand.

The recipe was written around long-term food storage, but fresh ingredients work just as well if you have them.

This Food Storage Chili works as an emergency meal or as an easy pantry dinner, and it tastes good either way.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

What's the recipe for chili from food storage?

Put everything in one large pot: a 1lb 12oz can of ground beef, 2 cans kidney beans, 2 cans diced tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, 2 cups beef broth, honey, dried minced onions, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Boil over medium-high heat, then simmer on low about 15 minutes.

How do I make chili with canned ground beef?

Add 1 (1lb 12oz) can of Keystone Meats Ground Beef to a large pot with the canned beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, broth, honey, and spices. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then drop to low and simmer about 15 minutes, until it thickens the way you like.

What can I use if I have no beef broth?

Swap in chicken or veggie broth, or use 1 bouillon cube per cup of water. The recipe calls for 2 cups of broth, so that means 2 cups of water with 2 bouillon cubes.

How long does canned beef last?

Commercially canned beef is preserved by pressure cooking in the sealed can, not by the salt. Keystone lists a 5 year shelf life, and stored cool and dry with no dents or rust it realistically keeps 5 to 10 years. The other canned goods and dried spices in the chili are similarly shelf-stable.

Can I use fresh onion and garlic instead of dried?

Yes. Use 1/2 of a yellow onion in place of the 2 Tbsp dried minced onions, diced and sautéed in a little butter or oil until soft. Replace the garlic powder with 6 minced cloves or 3 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic, sautéed with the onion until fragrant.

Keep going

Read nextThe Camp Kitchen in a Case: Everything to Cook Anywhere, Packed so It Loads in One TripMy camp kitchen lives in one hard case: stove, fuel, pan, pot, coffee, knives, board, utensils, plates, spices, wash kit and trash. What is in it and why, what stays outside the case, how it becomes the outage kitchen at home, and the checklist to pack it.Cooking, Fuel and Fire · Guide

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Food · RecipeLast reviewed 2024-11-13

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