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Proper Texas Chili

chili ain’t got no beans

Prep Time 25 Minutes

Cook Time 3 Hours

Servings: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 poblano or Anaheim chili, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
  • 1/3 tablespoons masa harina
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken stock (about half a quart)
  • 1 quart water
  • 2–3 dried guajillo chilis, stemmed and crushed
  • 2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

This is real Texas chili—no beans, no shortcuts, and no apologies. It’s smoky, meaty, and built layer by layer the way chili’s meant to be. You’ll sear, sweat, and simmer your way to a pot of magic that could win trophies—or at least a few hearts. Remember, if you know beans about chili… you know, chili ain’t got no beans. At least in Texas.

 

Instructions

  1. Generously season the beef chuck pieces with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a glug of neutral oil, sear the beef in small batches until each side is deeply browned. Don’t crowd the pan—you want a crust, not a steam bath. Remove the chuck and set aside.

  2. In the same pot, drop in the ground beef. Let it cook in the rendered chuck fat until browned and crumbly. Remove and set aside with the chuck.

  3. Add the onion, bell pepper, and green chili to the same pot. If it’s looking dry, add a drizzle of neutral oil. Cook over medium heat until the veggies soften and pick up all that beefy goodness from the bottom of the pan. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper.

  4. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the ancho chili powder, stirring so it coats everything. Let it bloom for a minute to wake up all those smoky, earthy flavors.

  5. Sprinkle in the masa harina and stir—it’ll thicken things up later and give the chili a deep, rich body. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and water. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pot clean.

  6. Bring to a low simmer, then toss in the guajillo chilis and Mexican oregano. Return the chuck and ground beef to the pot, stir, and reduce the heat to low.

Let the chili simmer uncovered for 2½–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the chuck is tender and the broth has thickened into a stew. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more chili powder as needed.

 

 

Grill Dads Tip

Don’t rush it. Chili isn’t about speed—it’s about patience. If it looks too thick, splash in a little water. If it’s too thin, keep simmering. And if anyone asks where the beans are, just hand them a bowl and say, “Texas.”
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Comments:

I lived in deep south Texas for 15 winters and never saw ANY chili that had both chunks of beef AND ground beef. The chunks were always used in what we were told was authentic Texas chili…sometimes brisket that was smoked and other times raw beef as in your recipe. NEVER any beans!

Posted by Sandra Olson | 3 days ago Reply

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Proper Texas Chili chili ain’t got no beans

Author Mark & Fey
Print Pin
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Servings 68

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 1 poblano or Anaheim chili diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
  • 1/3 tablespoons masa harina
  • 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken stock about half a quart
  • 1 quart water
  • 2 –3 dried guajillo chilis stemmed and crushed
  • 2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

Instructions

  • This is real Texas chili—no beans, no shortcuts, and no apologies. It’s smoky, meaty, and built layer by layer the way chili’s meant to be. You’ll sear, sweat, and simmer your way to a pot of magic that could win trophies—or at least a few hearts. Remember, if you know beans about chili… you know, chili ain’t got no beans. At least in Texas.
  • Instructions Generously season the beef chuck pieces with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a glug of neutral oil, sear the beef in small batches until each side is deeply browned. Don’t crowd the pan—you want a crust, not a steam bath. Remove the chuck and set aside. In the same pot, drop in the ground beef. Let it cook in the rendered chuck fat until browned and crumbly. Remove and set aside with the chuck. Add the onion, bell pepper, and green chili to the same pot. If it’s looking dry, add a drizzle of neutral oil. Cook over medium heat until the veggies soften and pick up all that beefy goodness from the bottom of the pan. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the ancho chili powder, stirring so it coats everything. Let it bloom for a minute to wake up all those smoky, earthy flavors. Sprinkle in the masa harina and stir—it’ll thicken things up later and give the chili a deep, rich body. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and water. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pot clean. Bring to a low simmer, then toss in the guajillo chilis and Mexican oregano. Return the chuck and ground beef to the pot, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Let the chili simmer uncovered for 2½–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the chuck is tender and the broth has thickened into a stew. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more chili powder as needed.
  • Grill Dads Tip Don’t rush it. Chili isn’t about speed—it’s about patience. If it looks too thick, splash in a little water. If it’s too thin, keep simmering. And if anyone asks where the beans are, just hand them a bowl and say, “Texas.”