Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

1. Crumble ground beef into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in water, and mash ground beef thoroughly with a potato masher. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, salt, pepper, sugar, and chili powder; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, 60 to 90 minutes, until the sauce reaches a medium consistency that is not too soupy.