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50lbs flank steak trim.

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    50lbs flank steak trim.

    Hey all,

    I have 50lbs of flank steak trim and would like to use it to make a large batch of chili (Texas style, all meat, no beans).

    Would it be wise to smoke the flank trim first and then use that (in lieu of beef chuck as recommended here -> http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/...con_carne.html) to make a massive batch of Texas chili con carne? Or should the meat not be smoked for chili?

    Would flank steak trim end up too tough? The trim is about 40% fat, so I'd imagine a lot of fat would render out during the smoking process which means that 50lbs of the flank steak trim would likely end up being 30lbs of useable meat for the chili. I'm also mindful that flank is ideal tenderness at around 140F as opposed to brisket which is ideal around 203F, so I wouldn't need to smoke the trim for nearly as long, just so I can prevent drying the meat out too much.

    Anyway, does this sound like a decent game plan? Any dos or don't I should be mindful of? I've never made chili before. My goal is to make a bunch of jars of the stuff and gift them to my friends.

    Also, if anyone has any chili recipes they think are equal to (or better than) the AmazingRibs Texas chili con carne recipe, please feel free to share. I'm after a very hearty/rich chili, no beans, just pure meat and a lot of it, with a great sauce.

    Thanks

    #2
    Good question. The trick with any meat stew (line boeuf b et.c) is to let it simmer for a very long time. That will break down any tough meat. So in your case, let it simmer for 3.5-4 hours, then test the meat (cubes) for tenderness. As for the amount of fat: it could be just a tad bit too much in my opinion, but there's only one way to find out:

    Select 2-3 lbs of the flank trim and make a small chili, just enough for 2-3 people. That way you can fine tune before doing the 50 lb batch. Way easier, smarter, and it will set you up for success.

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      #3
      I second Henrik 's suggestion to run a test: an impromptu tasting is always a good excuse for a small party

      Flank is tender at 60 C / 140 F as steak, but you definitely need to go above that to have a classic stew-like texture. Not as high as a smoked brisket but definitely above 75-80 C / 165-175 F, so you can follow Meathead's recipe an smoke the chunks for a couple of hours without worrying about overcooking the meat.

      How long to simmer your chili depends on taste and logistics. Personally I like stews that still have a little bite to them, so I start checking for tenderness after a couple of hours (as opposed to Henrik's 3-4). Since you're planning on gifting it and people will have to reheat it, I'd cook it just a little less in order to account for the extra cooling down and re-simmering time. Your friends are going to love it no matter what, though, so don't sweat the details

      One extra note of caution about canning: I don't think chili is acidic enough to be stored at room temperature after boiling, so you need to refrigerate it and make sure that the recipients know that it's meant for the fridge (or the freezer) and that it needs to be consumed within a few days.

      Comment


        #4
        Agreed, don't worry about what happens on the smoker. The tenderness will come from the brazing when you are simmering the chili.

        Comment


          #5
          Nice, thank you all so much for the help. Got the smoker going now, about to season the trim and put it on for a couple hours, then I'll begin simmering it in a massive pot with the other ingredients. Will keep you posted!

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