Calling All Cooks...

I use Prego traditional spaghetti sauce and a chili brick. Fantastico!

Let me know if you want the recipe.

V8 is what is making it runny.

Here is Chili Con Carne..) Chili The real thing.. In Texas we do not use beans (but we add them anyway)..

med onion chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lb coursely ground beef
2 - 3 tsp ground cumin
1 - 4 tsp Chili powder (your taste)
1 TBLSP tomato paste
14 oz can whole canned tomatoes crushed
salt to taste
Options, chopped up Jalapeno (take out the seeds)

Saute the onion, garlic in oil.
Add Beef and brown.
Add Spices and stir
add tomato products
cover and cook over low heat for an hour.
Add salt if needed.
Add drained canned pinto or black beans, heat for 10 minutes. (optional)

I'd use corn flour, not corn starch. Corn flour will add a depth of flavor to your chili that is really quite nice.

One of my favorite ways to thicken soups is to use lentils. I add them early and cook them down. Rice can be used the same way.

But for chili, cornmeal works well. It is sweeter and plays off the spices nicely. But, there is a little secret I think you might like even better. I don't call this recipe chili, although some do. I call it tamale soup:

Saute an onion in olive oil.
Add 1 lb. very lean ground meat (venison, bison, lean beef).
Quickly add a handful of cornmeal and blend it with the meat while it browns.
This helps the meat to keep a finer texture.
If you like to add extra cumin, garlic, pepper, or hot paprika, add it with the cornmeal so the flavor mixes into the meat. This is especially important if using ground poultry.
Add 2 cans tamales (after removing the papers they are rolled in)
As the tamales warm, mash them into the meat and onions with a potato masher.
Add 2 cans of tomato soup.
Add 3 or 4 cans of chili-hot beans.

If you like more vegies in the soup, you can add some diced tomato, bell peppers, or even celery.

My husbands answer for thickening chili or soup so he can eat it on crackers is to just crush saltines into the soup until it s thick enough to eat with a fork.

corn starch is also a thickener with a different taste from flour (corn vs. wheat).

flax seed meal......or i cook it longer

you can also crumble tortilla chips in it

Just let it cook down longer. Cock the lid and let it slightly simmer till it's thick.

I make roux with flour, butter and then whatever flavorful liquid I'm cooking with. This will thicken your sauce.

Why not try using a little less v8 and tomato paste and a littl more of the veggies/meat to bulk it up.

Along with what Kelly L. has suggested, you could also add a bit (a tbsp or two) of corn starch into the chili, mix well and that will thicken the sauce. I also used V8...until I realized the sodium levels. Now, I opt for an organic boxed red pepper tomato soup (I stock up when it's on sale & get it cheaper the even regular tomato soup & V8!). I then add a bit of cider vinegar, steamed (in the bag) corn & ground chicken (again on sale) whenever possible. Costco has some great sweet chili pepper rice chips -think Doritos taste, but far better for you!- which I substitute for the Fritos.

Use dehydraded refried beans. It adds to the chili mix and drys up the extra sauce. Of course if you keep the chili boiling the excess liquid will eventually boil away.

Good luck to you and yours.

it's the V8 juice...either cook it down longer or eliminate/minimize the juice.

I use beans & meat as the base ....& just add in 2 cans of Italian or Mexican diced tomatoes. Sometimes I have beer in mine, too. Depends on the group I'm serving....

Cornstarch and cooking it longer.