Texas Red Chili con Carne – Traditional Texan Chili

Today, it’s time for Texas Red, the Texan take on chili con carne.

I imagine that, just as with ragù here in Italy, every family in Texas has its own recipe. I can picture grandmothers who are experts at stirring enormous pots of chili, each with their own secrets and favourite ingredients.

Since I’ve never tasted this dish in Texas itself, I turned to my usual trusted source, Laurel Evans, and her cookbook La cucina Tex-Mex. I’ve cooked countless recipes from this book, and they’ve always turned out wonderfully.

This chili was a big hit served with warm tortillas and plenty of melted Cheddar cheese on top. That’s definitely my favourite way to enjoy it!

I liked it less with sour cream, although it’s a perfectly legitimate and very common accompaniment.

Unlike many modern versions, this chili contains no beans. Texas Red is a traditional, meat-focused style of chili that has evolved over time, with many variations and additions along the way.

Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list: everything is easy to find. I’ve adapted some of the less common ingredients from the original book to make this recipe more practical to prepare at home.

The secret is patience. The beef simmers slowly for several hours, allowing the flavours of the meat, beer, coffee and spices to come together in a rich, hearty sauce.

Want some soft wraps to serve along this chili? Check my Soft Homemade Flour Wraps.

This Quick Cornbread with Spring Onions and Chilli is another perfect side kick!

Texas Red Chili con Carne

Recipe

Yield: 8 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Resting time: None
Cooking time: 4 hours 30 minutes–5 hours 30 minutes
Total time: 4 hours 50 minutes–5 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon chilli powder

• 4 slices of bacon, or 100 g diced smoked pancetta

• 1 kg beef shoulder or other stewing beef, cut into 1 cm cubes

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 120 ml brewed coffee or strong filter coffee

• 330 ml light beer

• 1 can (400 g) peeled tomatoes

• 230 ml water

• A pinch of ground cinnamon

• A pinch of ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• Salt, to taste

• 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook until golden and crisp.

2. Brown half of the beef cubes in the bacon fat. Transfer the browned meat to a bowl, then brown the remaining beef in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pot, so the meat browns properly.

3. Add the chopped onion to the same pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.

4. Return all the beef and bacon to the pot. Add the crushed garlic, coffee, beer, peeled tomatoes, water, chilli powder, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin and a little salt.

5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Simmer uncovered for 4–5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste from time to time and adjust the salt and spices to your liking.

6. In a small bowl, mix the cornmeal with a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid until smooth and free of lumps.

7. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the chili and simmer for another 20–30 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

8. Serve hot with warm tortillas, plenty of grated Cheddar, sour cream or crumbled salted crackers, according to your preference.

Serving suggestions

For a Tex-Mex-inspired meal, serve the chili with warm tortillas and grated Cheddar cheese. You can also offer sour cream and salted crackers at the table, so everyone can choose their favourite toppings.

Recipe source: Adapted from Laurel Evans’s La cucina Tex-Mex.