Fairly lean ground beef is best, 85-90% is what I use. I find that to be the perfect ratio. If you'd like, you can add in some ground sausage as you see fit. Canned dark red kidney beans are what I use, but regular red kidneys are great too. You also need canned tomatoes, I use fire-roasted diced because I love the added flavor. Feel free to add sliced jalapenos or green peppers as well.