Texas Chili

Authentic Texas Chile is always a hit!

I’ve got chili on the brain. I’m so tired of this heat and longggggg summer. I’m ready to move on to Fall-in weather only (I can hold off on Halloween and Thanksgiving), but I just need a little crisp air to get me in the mood for a Pumpkin Anything. Good Lord. This morning, the line at Starbucks™ was out the door because of the “Pumpkin-Spice Latee-Dah.” It’s so frustrating. Starbucks, Home Depot, Pier One, Target. Just cramming Fall down our necks and it’s still 100 degrees outside. Oh. And L.L. Bean catalogs are coming weekly now… don’t they know I’m in Texas? They have my mailing address! They can check to see what the weather is here! It will only be cold enough for maybe one week for me to wear their triple-insulated, down and flannel, waterproof Arctic thermogear. Geez. It’s wearing me out already.

I need a little “light-sweater-weather” and a crisp day and I’ll be happy. You see, I’ve experimented for years with chili recipes, and this is, by far, my best, and I’m very excited to share it with you! Please understand I’m not bragging, I am simply DONE experimenting with chili recipes!

There are really only two secret ingredients I use and they’re listed in the recipe.

What Type of Beef Should I Use?

Ground beef, 80/20, 70/30 or 90/10. In case you’re wondering, 80/20 means the beef has 20% fat and 80% lean meat. If you use a high fat meat, cook it, then shake it in a colander to drain off the excess oil; DO NOT RINSE IT. A little bit of fat reserve enhances the flavor of the chili. If you prefer a lean chili, use 90/10 ground beef, ground sirloin or ground turkey.

Beans or No Beans?

Ugh. This question beats every cook down. Some are adamant that chili has no beans, others include it. Here’s the deal: beans add fiber to the dish and fiber is a good thing. It’s really up to you. True Texas Chili does not have beans. If you elect to add canned pinto, kidney or black beans, be sure to rinse them first. The brine they’re packaged in impacts the texture and flavor of this recipe.

What Other Ingredients Can I Add to my Chili?

I’ve read some recipes where they add Rotel® tomatoes (stewed tomatoes and green chiles), bell peppers, jalapenos or drained canned corn! The important thing is that you get the initial flavor down…then doctor it up.

What Can I Make With Any Leftovers?

With this recipe, chances are you won’t have much leftover! I usually do a soft chili-cheese taco with crispy iceberg lettuce and salsa. Another favorite re-do is to make chili-mac: Cook some macaroni noodles; drain and coat with butter; place noodles in a baking dish. Pour chili over noodles, top with cheese, bake till cheese is melted and call it dinner! You might also try a simple taco salad!

How Can I Thicken the Recipe?

There are two ways to make the chili thicker. One uses cornstarch. The other uses Masa flour. First, let’s define “slurry.” A slurry is a mixture of a powdered ingredient and water in equal measure. For instance, if you want to use cornstarch to thicken the chili, stir 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of water. Mix it well, then add it to the chili. This slurry will not impact the flavor.

Masa flour is a finely ground corn flour. Make a slurry by adding 2 tablespoons of Masa flour to 2 tablespoons of water. Mix it well, then add it to the chili. Masa flour will impact the flavor of the chili, resulting in a slightly corn/grainy flavor, almost like a corn tortilla flavor.

Either method will thicken the chili after it has been combined well and heated. Additionally, you may want to make some cornbread to go with this dish!

You might want to cook up a batch of cornbread to go with your chili!

Let me know how your True Texas Chili turned out, okay? Email @ smartypantskitchen.com@gmail or follow me on Pinterest and Instagram! See you in the kitchen!

 

 

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