I’ve been a Texan for 65 years now, so I’m pretty sure I know what Texas Chili is…..and ain’t. While it’s true that the purists who make “authentic” Texas Red don’t use tomatoes [and especially beans] and use fresh dried chili peppers, most of us ain’t got time for all that. 🤓 Here’s a Texas Chili recipe I used last night, it’s very similar to how I normally make it. It was damn good too! Instead of my usual Chuck steak/roast, I used a 3 lb. brisket flat. I’d also never added brewed coffee before and I didn’t use the thyme it calls for, I always use oregano. And lastly, I’d never added fried bacon or used the grease for browning the meat…..I think that added a layer of flavor that made a big difference! I followed her recipe exactly as printed, with the exception of not adding thyme, and I did add 2 diced jalapeños.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon
- 3-4 lb. beef brisket, trimmed
- NOTE: (I use the brisket flat, as opposed to the point. Check out my tutorial on brisket trimming for help understanding which side to use, and how to trim your brisket. Also, occasionally you can buy half briskets at the market. Check with your butcher.)
- Kosher salt, pepper, onion powder – for liberally sprinkling on the meat while browning.
- 2 c. white onion, small diced (one large onion)
- 5 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
- 1 T paprika
- 1 T. cumin powder
- 3 ½ T Texas chili powder, such as Mexene or Gebhardt’s
- ½ t. dried thyme
- ½ t. chipotle chile powder
- ½ t. salt
- 1 quart beef broth
- ½ c. strong black coffee (you can save this from your morning coffee)
- 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, in juice
- Garnish: Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated. White onion, fritos, tabasco sauce, and jalapenos.
- For the brisket, clean and trim the brisket. You will only need 3-4 lbs. Cube the brisket into small ¼” cubes. Reserve the brisket point for another meal.
- In a large stockpot, cook 4 pieces of bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside until later.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. In the bacon fat, brown the brisket cubes in 3 batches making sure not to crowd the pan. You want to develop as much browning on the cubes as possible and browning in 3 batches will ensure that moisture coming from the meat won’t crowd the pan and prohibit the browning process.
- Season liberally with salt, pepper, and onion powder while browning to season the meat.
- Remove the previous batch to a bowl before starting on the next batch. You can add additional cooking oil if you need to. Cook all 3 batches and reserve.
- In the same pot, add the diced white onion and stir in a pinch of salt. Cook down, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits and brown the onion. Reduce the heat if necessary to cook the onion down and slightly caramelize it.
- Add in all of the spices and stir into the onions. Cook 2 minutes.
- Add the pressed garlic and stir. Cook 1 minute.
- Add the seared meat back into the pan. Add the coffee and 2 c. of the beef broth. Stir well.
- Open the tomatoes, and using your hands, break them up as you add them to the pan. Add tomato juice to the pan.
- Stir well and crumble in the bacon. Place the lid back on the pot and cook over low-medium (simmer gently) for 2 ½ - 3 hours. Add the additional 2 c. beef broth as necessary.
- Finish off with fresh tabasco pepper sauce if desired.
- Serve topped with freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, freshly minced white onion, and Frito chips.
Comment