Genuine Texas Chili

Real Texas chili is a beef dish, not a bean dish. That’s the rule, and this recipe honours it. Five pounds of beef (both coarse-ground chuck and regular ground beef) combine with tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and serious amounts of cumin and chili powder for a thick, meaty bowl of red that would do any Texan proud.

The dual-beef technique is the smart move. Cutting chuck into larger pieces than standard ground beef (or grinding it with the coarse plate) gives you chewy, meaty chunks throughout. Mixing that with regular ground beef keeps the texture balanced, part hearty bite, part saucy blend.

The cumin here is generous, three full tablespoons of cumin seeds is the kind of quantity that stops most home cooks in their tracks. Don’t cut back. Cumin is what makes Texas chili taste like Texas chili, that earthy, smoky foundation is non-negotiable. Toasting the seeds in a dry pan and grinding them fresh boosts the flavour even more.

The three-hour simmer is not optional either. First 1.5 hours build the base, adding water and continuing another 1.5 hours lets the meat break down into silky, spoonable tenderness. Skimming the fat after cooling is what separates real chili from greasy chili.

Pro Tips

• Use chuck, not sirloin or round, cheaper cuts with more connective tissue make richer chili.
• Shred whole tomatoes by hand as the recipe directs, uneven chunks give better texture than diced.
• Cook the chili a day ahead if possible, refrigerate overnight, then skim hardened fat off the top and reheat.
• Serve with diced onion, shredded sharp cheese, and saltines or cornbread on the side.

Variations

• Add 2 dried ancho or guajillo chiles, rehydrated and pureed, for deeper, fruitier chile flavour.
• A square of dark chocolate or tablespoon of masa harina stirred in at the end adds richness.
• Stir in a shot of bourbon or strong brewed coffee in the last 30 minutes for a Southwestern edge.
• Top with pickled jalapeños and a dollop of sour cream if you want heat and cool together.