Spicy Mexican Meat Sauce

So you might be asking yourself, isn't a spicy tomato meat sauce just chili? I say that it most certainly is not. In my opinion, chili is an entirely different kind of stew made with cubed chuck shoulder and thickened with corn masa (or chips). This is a much simpler sauce, designed to be quick and easy. You could serve it on a hot dog or hamburger with cheese, or if you're feeling adventurous, put it over spaghetti (Cincinnati style).

Ingredients

• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle chiles (freshly ground or from a jar)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced green chiles
• 1 large can crushed tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Cook the beef over medium heat in a stew pot or dutch oven until it loses the raw red color. Add the onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, turmeric, chipotle chile powder, and oregano. Continue to cook until the onions have softened and the bell pepper is crisp-tender. Add the garlic and green chiles and cook for one more minute. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, lime juice and cilantro. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the flavors are well blended. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a hot dog in a toasted bun with shredded cheddar cheese.