Texas chili has rules, and they exist for good reason. No beans — beans are a filler and they compete with the beef for center stage. No tomatoes in the traditional version — the chili gets its body and color from dried and rehydrated peppers, not tomato paste. And coarse-ground beef — chili meat, specifically — rather than standard ground beef. The coarse grind holds its texture through a long simmer and gives you identifiable pieces of beef in the bowl.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chili meat
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded
- 2 tablespoons beef tallow
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt to taste
Make the Chili Paste
Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Blend the chiles with the soaking liquid until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove skins.
Brown the Meat
In a large Dutch oven, heat tallow over high heat. Brown the chili meat in batches — do not crowd the pan. The goal is a proper sear, not a steam. Transfer to a plate.
Build the Chili
In the same pot, cook onion in the remaining fat until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in the chili paste and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add beef stock, browned meat, cumin, and oregano. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the beef is tender. Taste and adjust salt.
Serve
Texas chili is served in a bowl, topped with diced white onion, a squeeze of lime, and optionally a spoonful of sour cream. Saltine crackers or cornbread on the side. Nothing in the bowl but beef and chili.
Our Chili Meat is in the Ground Beef collection.