“Can’t call it Texas chili ‘less it’s all meat and no tomatoes, you putt’n beans in it might as well be some Yankee crap!” Well, this might not be authentic Texas chili, but I’d still say it was a success. It seems we can’t let a winter go by without having a chili night, and with winter winding down it seemed like a perfect time to slip one in. Throughout the years we’ve made lots of different kinds of chili, I mean lots. And though it has always been good, it’s been the packaged chili mix or a heavy dose of whatever I could grab from the spice cabinet that gave it the heat and “chili” flavor. As good as that was, it always fell a little flat and never got the same depth of flavor you’d expect from such an iconic dish. So I figured I would put in that extra bit of work and use the real stuff, find the right balance of dried chilies, toast them, blend them, and let them be the star. And I can tell you, after making the real stuff, it’s a night and day difference. The best way I can explain it is when SNL loses the star cast member and you get those few seasons when it’s all supporting cast and no one is really stepping up. If you’re a true fan you’ll still watch and its not that bad, but it’s just not the same without the Chris Farley, Will Ferrell, or Kristen Wiig. In the same way, I’m not saying the powder mix stuff is terrible, I’m just saying this is better.

Let’s start with the Meat

As much as people argue over beans and tomatoes in chili, we all agree that there’s meat (sort of). There are some that will argue for vegetarian chili but let’s be real, they’re wrong! There’s a time and place for it but you can’t convince me that it’s better. So, now that we all agree it’s better with meat, it’s still a point of contention as to what the right meat is. To chunk, or not to chunk? If you grew up with canned chili or if you see chili as a topping for a hotdog you might argue it’s all about ground beef. But if your inner carnivorous urges are too strong and you just need to feel the chew of a hunk of meat, you might say cubed chunks are a better way. I see value in both, but I have fond memories of that red can of Wolf chili, (even though it kinda looks like dog food). In order to find the right balance, I went for a combo of ground beef and some English-cut beef short ribs, I cut them up as small as I could so it still reminds me of what chili should be, but it adds a bit more of that pure beef flavor and some texture. With the added fat from the short ribs, I had to get a leaner ground beef. But a chili recipe is pretty versatile and wherever you fall on the chunk argument just substitute what you like.

Now the Chilies

As I mentioned before, avoid the powder mix if at all possible! The best and most complex flavor you can add to your chili will come from whole dried chilies. But deciding which ones to use can be difficult because there’s a ridiculous amount of different varieties. I was on a mission to find the perfect combo that would work best for my taste. I researched different types of chilies and the subtle notes they might add, some that would add well-balanced heat, some that would be fruitier and complex, even some that would add a little sweetness. Once I landed on the 5 types of dried chilies that would achieve chili perfection, I ran all over town and couldn’t find any of them… All I could find was the New Mexico and Guajillo varieties, so that’s what I was stuck with. But it worked out well because the New Mexico chilies have a bit of brightness to them while still providing a decent heat, and the Guajillo adds a balance of some sweeter notes. Regardless of what you choose, or what you‘re stuck with, the process to turn them into a rich spicy base for your dish involves de-seeding and de-stemming them, lightly toasting in a frying pan, and putting them in a blender with liquid. You’ll see a lot of recipes that call for blending with water, but I used chicken stock to add more flavor.

And the Other stuff

Now if you want authentic Texas Chili, stop here. But I don’t really have a problem with beans as long as they are secondary to the meat, and I think a few tomatoes can add texture as long as they aren’t the base for the sauce. If you are adding beans, it’s important the skin is not too tough (black beans) and not too mushy (pinto). I find that light kidney beans work best. And there’s nothing wrong with canned beans, just make sure they are drained well and rinsed. If you’re adding tomatoes just make sure they aren’t overcooked. Adding chopped tomatoes for texture is a lot different than using tomato sauce and tomato paste to build the sauce. Any other additions might be a step too far but I’ll stay open-minded.

To top it off

Finally we have chili, but is that it? I can’t call it a chili night without some green onion, a hand full of sharp cheddar cheese, a big dollop of sour cream and definitely some Fritos! And you might say “but then it’s not chili anymore, it’s a Frito pie”– ok, then it’s a Frito pie but that’s how I prefer it.

 

Since this is Not Texas Chili, here’s my recipe for “some Yankee crap”

 

• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp. oil or bacon fat
• 2lb Ground Beef (lean)
• 1lb short ribs
• 1 can light kidney beans
• 2 cups good chicken stock
• 4 New Mexico dried chilies
• 4 Guajillo Dried Chilies
• 2 tsp Ancho chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1tsp cayenne powder

 

– Cut the stems off the chilies and dump out the seeds. Heat a large Dutch oven on medium high heat and toast the chilies until fragrant, making sure they don’t char.

– Chop the onion and garlic, move the chilies to a blender with chicken stock and blend till smooth, if there are any large chunks left run through a strainer. To the Dutch oven add the fat and cook onion until translucent, about 5 min, then add garlic and continue to cook for another minute.

– While the onions are cooking cut short ribs as small as you can or to desired size. Add ground beef and short ribs and cook for about ten minutes until no more pink is showing. Add the chili puree and beans to the beef and cook covered for about an hour on medium low heat, add tomatoes and continue to cook for another hour half covered.

– Serve with your choice of toppings, like sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onion, or Fritos.