Howards South Texas Chili Recipes

THE BEST AUTHENTIC TEXAS CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut the stems off the dried chilies and remove all of the seeds. Place them in a blender with 1 cup of warm beef stock. Cover the blender and let them soak in the beef stock for 30 minutes.
• While the dried chilies are soaking, cut the beef chuck roast into 1/2 inch cubes and dice the white onion and jalapeños.
• In a bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, masa flour, ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• After 30 minutes, puree the chilies and beef stock together to create a homemade chili paste. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a medium cast-iron Dutch oven. Brown the beef chuck cubes on all sides. If there is not enough room in the Dutch oven, brown the beef chuck cubes in batches. Do not remove the brown buts or liquid from the Dutch oven - this has all the flavor and will be used for the Texas Chili. Remove the browned beef chuck and set aside.
• Using the remaining liquid in the saucepan, sauté the onions till translucent. Then add the diced jalapeños.
• Deglaze the Dutch oven by adding the Shiner beer, remaining 2 cups of beef stock, and apple cider vinegar. Then scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to get all the bits of flavor incorporated.
• Add the beef chuck back into the Dutch oven along with the homemade chili paste, dry ingredient mix, and brown sugar. Mix all of the ingredients together and bring to a boil.
• Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat, slightly cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for 2 - 2.5 hours or until the beef chuck is tender. Make sure you stir the Texas Chili occasionally.
• Once the beef chuck is tender, serve the Texas Chili with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeños, and a side of cornbread.

HOWARD'S SOUTH TEXAS CHILI

Steps:

• Set a 14-inch Dutch Oven in the firepan with 12-16 briquets underneath. Add 3-4 Tbsp. olive oil and saute the garlic for about 3-4 minutes. Put the meat in and fry with the salt, pepper and onions for about ten minutes before you add the tomato juice, sauce, paste, and water. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Mix the dry spices with the flour and stir into the meat. Cook for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Decrease cooking time a little if you use ground meat instead of flank steak. The flour will thicken the chili as it cooks. Add a little water if you like it thinner.A Back Country Guide to Outdoor Cooking Spiced with Tall Tales - Camp Chili, Stews, Soups and Sauces