Original Texas-Style Chili

The original Texas-style chili version of chili con carne contains no vegetables at all, except chili peppers.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs (1.3) beef or other meat
• 2 oz (55) beef kidney suet
• 4 chile pods, skinned and blistered, or sun-dried chiles
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon crushed cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce (optional but frequently included)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped (or more, to taste)
• 2 heaping tablespoons masa harina

Steps

1. Sear beef in a little cooking oil (not lard) until lightly browned.
2. Add the seared beef, suet, and chile pods to a large iron skillet or pot (at least four quarts), and enough water (the reserved "pepper water" if you prepared the pods yourself) to keep the meat from burning. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes.
3. Take pot off the stove and add spices and garlic. Put back on the stove, bring to a boil again, lower heat, and simmer another hour, keeping the lid on as much as possible. Stir when necessary, but remember that too much stirring will tear the meat. Add a little more water if anything seems seriously in danger of burning (but as little water as possible).
4. Take pot off the stove and skim off all or most of the grease.
5. Mix in masa harina, which "tightens" or thickens the chili con carne and adds a subtle tamale-like flavor. Simmer about 30 minutes more, until meat is done. Do a lot of tasting during this time, (1) to adjust the seasoning, and (2) just because a chili cook should do a lot of tasting.

More recipes with beef, suet, chile peppers, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper or garlic

Adapted from “Original Texas-Style Chili” in the Wikibooks Cookbook by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Reformatted for this site; this page's recipe text is shared under the same license.