I started making chili several months ago and thought a little ingredient and beginner directions might help. I found the basic recipe that uses the ingredients in the box and the ones suggested, makes a decent chili. After a lot of experimentation, I use the Shelby ingredients (minus the corn flour) and add other spices, some cubed tomatoes and some beef broth to mine. No beans. Tests style. Top with grated cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Mr. Shelby gets the whole thing off to a fine start and a tasty finish.

I love this chili mix and it's gotten hard to find in grocery stores these days. I was thrilled to see it stocked on Amazon!
Inside each bag are 4 packets, one of chili seasoning, one of salt, one of red pepper (to make it more spicy), and one of masa flour (for thickening the chili). Enough to season 2 lb of meat.
If you don't add any of the red pepper, the result is mild but still delicious!
In addition to 2 lb of ground beef, I usually add bell peppers, onions, black beans, and kidney beans.
The resulting chili is easy to keep in the fridge (I just put it in tupperware) - makes especially great leftovers.

The Best Chili Mix anywhere!! You can adjust the heat as the packet is enclosed not incorporated. I have never had a bad experience with Carroll Shelby's Mix. I've tried others just because they were cheaper at the time, but i have to say that skimping on the mix just destroyed the Chili. I will never try to save next time, I will ALWAYS use Carroll Shelby's!!

I'm on the website today to order a second twelve-pack of this mix. I haven't shopped around a lot; Carroll Shelby's is the first and only mix I've tried, and I'm very happy with it. I found it on Amazon earlier this year after being unable to find it in local stores, and I've just recently gone through the first twelve-pack (okay, I gave one pack to my mother-in-law).

I've converted my daughter and my mother-in-law to it, as well; they're both chili lovers and we use this recipe together with dark red kidney beans, diced tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce, and ground turkey (healthier, and cheaper, and there's a small difference in texture and none in taste from ground beef). We recommend going with the recipe option that calls for a large can of diced tomatoes, and about half the cayenne packet, and about 32 oz of canned dark red kidney beans, drained (the recipe only recommends 16 oz), and between 2 and 3 lbs of ground whatever.

Ground beef, not too lean, or chopped chuck, or cubed pot roast are all good candidates for the meat. As the package used to say, fifteen years ago, don't waste your money on expensive cuts of beef here.

The directions are pretty basic and perfectly adequate to produce a good hearty meal. Use a _big_ frying pan, 13" if you've got one, and have a larger stew pot/saucepan of some kind standing by in case your ingredients are too much for the pan. Do stir frequently once you've added the spices and flour, because there's some tendency for the mix to thicken up and form a skin on the bottom of the pot, and you'll lose good flavor that way (not to mention the bottom might get burned and ruin the whole recipe).

With 2-3 lbs of meat, two cans of beans and a large (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice, the whole thing makes six or seven _really_ generous portions (12-14 oz each). I make it and freeze most of it in individual portions, taking it in to work and microwaving it at lunch.

Honestly, if you've never tried this chili, do. It's so easy and SO tasty. You can make it hot or mild very easily. I use about 1/3 of the chili packet, and it's pretty spicy to me - so don't just dump in the whole packet. Put some in, mix it up, and give it a taste before adding more. Takes about 30 minutes start to finish, and I think the leftovers are even better than the first night because the flavors have had more time to blend. See if you can find it in your local store and try a pack first, but if you do, this is a great way to always have it on hand, and at a very good price per box.