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11/03/2015 1:35 am  #1


A Texan's Chili Recipe (specifically my recipe)

So to mix things up here a little bit on the forum, I decided to share with all of you my own recipe for chili that I have developed (for a lot of reasons, I don’t believe in the magic of secret recipes, so I’m more than happy to share). Being from and living in the Great State of Texas, and being quite a great chef if I do say so myself, you can take my word that this is a really authentic recipe and will allow one to be able to get a taste of the real thing if you were wondering what it might be like.

It also tastes really good as well.

Also, let me know if you enjoy this post; I’ve also got great recipes for taco meat and chocolate chip cookies if y’all are interested, among many other things (had to throw one y’all in there somewhere…).
Hope you enjoy!

Timotheos’s Chili recipe
3 lb. Ground Sirloin
1T Olive/Vegetable oil (for browning the meat)
1T salt (also for browning the meat)
1-28 oz can of Crushed Tomateos
2-15 oz can of Tomato Sauce
1-10oz can of Rotel
1/2 cup chili powder (yes, you read that right, cup!)
2T Ground Cumin
1T Paprika
1T Dehydrated onion/onion powder
1 cup (about 2 handfuls) pickled jalapeños (make sure to mince these up before putting them into the chili)
1/4 cup of said jalapenos’ pickling juice
Red Pepper Flakes (to taste on this; I know my Texas sense of spicy is a pretty high standard)
Salt and pepper to taste
*Note* in cooking abbreviations, ‘T’ stands for tablespoon and ‘t‘ stands for teaspoon.
 
Some caveats about the ingredient list:
First off, ground sirloin beef is by far the best cut of meat for this, so use that if at all possible. Also, the coarser the grind you can get on the sirloin the better; if you’ve got a butcher handy, ask him to grind some beef sirloin cuts with a chili grind. If beef is not your thing, then you should be fine using either bison or venison for this recipe; you might be able to get away with lamb as well, in a pinch. Whatever meat/cut you use, make sure that it LEAN; 90/10 at the fattiest. Believe it or not, and despite what mass manufactures have done to its reputation, chili is NOT a greasy or fatty dish, if made correctly; the only fat you need is to brown the meat, and not a drop more. Trust me on this; the easiest way to ruin a pot of chili is to give it a grease slick on the top.

For you international types on the site, Rotel is a brand of canned tomatoes and chilies; if it’s not available in your area, just substitute it for a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of green chilies.

Now, for the most important part of chili making:  chili powder. For all that is good and holy, and in the name of the Eternal Lord, please, DO NOT TRY MAKING THIS DISH WITH GROCERY STORE CHILI POWDER! If it’s all that’s available to you, then please refrain from attempting this dish; it is better to lose one’s chili than to end up in the fires of hell (Or even worse, a Texas prison in the summer time w/o air conditioning). If you have a spice shop in your area I suggest you try looking there first; if you don’t or if their stuff is not up to snuff, then I suggest you try online. My personal favorite blend is from Pendery’s, specifically their Original blend (which you can order here).

The ground cumin is less important than the chili powder, although if you’re going to buy it ground, I definitely suggest getting it from a spice shop. I actually buy whole cumin seeds, roast them in a pan until they start to pop, and then grind them in a cheap $20 blade-styled coffee grinder that I keep around just for spices (a la Alton Brown). A little bit of an annoyance perhaps, but definitely worth it in terms of flavor if you can spare the time; there’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly ground spices, with cumin being one of my favorites.

As for the dehydrated onion, while it’s not a super big deal, I really do prefer it to be dried chopped onion as opposed to either dried onion flakes or onion powder. I think it delivers a more even flavor and melds better with the chili than either the flakes or the powder do. It can be tricky to find it though (it’s also available at Pendery’s), so it’s not a big deal if you use either flakes or powder.

Now my secret ingredient in this recipe is the pickled jalapeños; the vinegar in the pickling juice brightens up the flavor of the chili, keeping it from getting too stuffy. Believe it or not, this is actually very authentic, much more so than fresh peppers; chuck wagons and cowboys rarely kept anything fresh around as it was too likely to spoil, so almost all of their ingredients were either dried or pickled. And since chili powder is just ground up dried peppers, this is the other half of the pepper equation; and it really adds a dimension to the chili that I find lacking in many other recipes.

Finally, notice what one does not see on the ingredient list; any mention of the B-word. If anyone tells you that beans can be part of a pot of chili, let them be anathema! They shall then be round-up, shipped off to Texas where they will be promptly court-marshalled and shot, because putting beans in a pot of chili is in fact considered an act of war/treason against the state of Texas. You have been warned!
 
And now for my patented Chili Making Method:
Heat up the cooking oil in a large pot and then brown the meat along with the salt.  While the meat is browning, take the pickled jalapeños and cut them into a mince. Drain off any excess grease and then stir in all of the ingredients. Turn the heat up to high until it reaches a boil, and then turn the heat down to medium low. Let simmer for somewhere between 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. If you want to use a crock-pot, that is fine; just make sure the entire mass has hit a boil before you transfer it over to the crock-pot. Also, expect the crock-pot to take at least an extra hour.

I like to eat mine with a little bit of grated cheese on top and with crackers; but that is just my personal preference. Serves 4-6.

+JMJ+

Last edited by Timotheos (11/03/2015 1:38 am)

 

11/04/2015 1:56 am  #2


Re: A Texan's Chili Recipe (specifically my recipe)

Lol. I may actually try this (sans the cheese on top )


Noli turbare circulos meos.
 

11/04/2015 7:07 pm  #3


Re: A Texan's Chili Recipe (specifically my recipe)

Etzelnik wrote:

Lol. I may actually try this (sans the cheese on top )

Somehow I knew, just KNEW, that you would comment something about the cheese on top. 
You're not really missing all that much anyway; not only is it something that purists tend to skip, but you probably couldn't even find the right kind of cheese in your neck of the woods (I like a blend of grated Texan Mexican [as opposed to that grease pit of fast-food that dares call itself Tex-Mex] cheeses; probably not right something you find at your local market in Israel...).

Out of curiosity, how would you get your hands onto chili powder? Are you going to order it online, look for it at the local spice store, etc?

Also, again out of curiosity, would you be able to use sirloin in this recipe, or would you have to substitute it to stay kosher? As I understand it, you could, but the process for that kind of cut is so tricky that only manufactures that have a solid enough demand for kosher meats, like in Israel, even mess with it. Is that too far off the mark?

Last edited by Timotheos (11/04/2015 7:14 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

11/07/2015 12:41 pm  #4


Re: A Texan's Chili Recipe (specifically my recipe)

Timotheos wrote:

Etzelnik wrote:

Lol. I may actually try this (sans the cheese on top )

Somehow I knew, just KNEW, that you would comment something about the cheese on top. 
You're not really missing all that much anyway; not only is it something that purists tend to skip, but you probably couldn't even find the right kind of cheese in your neck of the woods (I like a blend of grated Texan Mexican [as opposed to that grease pit of fast-food that dares call itself Tex-Mex] cheeses; probably not right something you find at your local market in Israel...).

Out of curiosity, how would you get your hands onto chili powder? Are you going to order it online, look for it at the local spice store, etc?

Also, again out of curiosity, would you be able to use sirloin in this recipe, or would you have to substitute it to stay kosher? As I understand it, you could, but the process for that kind of cut is so tricky that only manufactures that have a solid enough demand for kosher meats, like in Israel, even mess with it. Is that too far off the mark?

 

I can find chili powder in a number of stores. Lots of people like food hot here as well, so I guess there's a demand.

And you're right about the sirloin. The process of removing the sinew is extremely difficult- the sinew has to be completely extracted out of the bone. Even here, it costs quite a bit and you can't rely many butchers to get it done right. Butthe butcher I frequent knows how.


Noli turbare circulos meos.
 

11/08/2015 2:24 am  #5


Re: A Texan's Chili Recipe (specifically my recipe)

       I have had a few great Chilies with some Mexican dishes.  My father in law makes a really good chili con carne,

 

1/30/2018 4:46 am  #6


Re: A Texan's Chili Recipe (specifically my recipe)

Hello,

I am looking for some homemade texan spices online

Last edited by mgmkevin (2/13/2018 4:17 am)

 

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