Making Wendy's chili

[Caslon]

I suppose this clone recipe has been around for ages. I thought I would try it last night. Everything went fine, I halved the ingredients for 1 lb. of hamburger.

A few things I want to mention. Increase the chili powder by about 2 teaspoons, it lacked kick. ALSO...add your canned kidney beans towards the end of cooking. Why? The pinto beans can stand the cooking, but the kidney beens came out mushy, that's not good.

Another very very important thing. Wendy's is known for taking leftover burgers and breaking them up into pieces for this recipe. It's important when browning your hamburger that you cook it just like a giant hamburger. If you brown the hamburger the usual way, it ends up in tiny crumbled pieces, not good for chili. Cut your tomatoes into larger pieces or they will get lost during the cooking.

Also, I used just a regular stove top pan. No need for a crock pot. Also, the recommended cook time seemed a bit long. 2 hours at the most is all that is needed to reduce the liquids.
I would appreciate any tips to make this chili taste just like Wendy's.

Ingredients:
2 pounds Ground beef
1 can (29 ounce size) tomato sauce
1 can (29 ounce size) kidney beans w/liquid
1 can (29 ounce size) pinto beans w/liquid
1 medium Onion, diced
2 Green chili, diced
1 Rib celery, diced
3 medium Tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons Cumin powder
3 tablespoons Chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
2 teaspoons Salt
2 cups Water

Directions:

Brown the beef and drain the fat off. Crumble the cooked beef into pea size pieces. In a large pot, combine the beef plus the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook stirring every 15 minutes for 2-3 hours.

 

[Caslon]

Wendy's chili:

the onions show up and are crunchy, even a chunk of tomato or two.
The meat is chunky.
The pinto beans and kidney beans have a firm texture.

Getting there.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks for posting this, I always feel silly going in just for the chili.

 

[Caslon]

Yes, you're beginning to see...hehehe. I betcha anything Wendy's employees are taught in what order to cook up the makings of their chili. They don't just pour all the ingredients into a pot and stir.

 

[chilichip]

Don't feel sillly going in for the chili ,I do it too !! that's the best chili , their bugars are not the same anymore after dave's death

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Don't feel sillly going in for the chili ,I do it too !! that's the best chili , their bugars are not the same anymore after dave's death

I get it for my baked potatoes, better than canned. If I want chili to eat as a main dish, I make it from scratch.