Texas Recipes
Real Texas Chili
This classic Texas chili (no beans, no onion, no tomatoes) was created by native Houstonian Carter Rochelle, a professional fund-raiser. Former New York Times food editor Craig Claiborne once pronounced this chili his favorite and published the recipe in two of his cookbooks.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Serve with pinto beans and chopped onion on the side to mix in as desired. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, warmed flour tortillas or corn bread.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef stew meat (chuck or round)
- 6 ounces beef suet (hard white fat), cut into pieces (see note)
- 3 or 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 to 6 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
- 8 tablespoons Masa Harina (Mexican corn flour)
- 6 cups hot water
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon or beef bouillon cubes
- Red chiles, crushed or dried and chopped, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Remove gristle and most of fat from meat; cut into 1/2 inch or smaller cubes (some of the beef should be chipped or flaked).
- Place suet in large skillet or heavy kettle and render it (cook until fat melts).
- Skim residue off rendered suet; discard residue.
- Add meat to hot fat and sauté until lightly browned.
- Add garlic, salt, black pepper and chili powder. Mix well and let seasonings permeate meat a few minutes.
- Sprinkle in Masa Harina and mix, stirring rapidly until smooth.
- Add water, vinegar, bouillon and chilies. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is very tender; some of the meat should virtually dissolve into the chili.
- If chili becomes too dry while cooking, add a little water from time to time.
- Correct seasonings.
- When done, skim fat from surface. (You can refrigerate overnight and scrape hardened fat off before reheating.)
Notes
Because of health concerns, many chili cooks substitute 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup vegetable oil or shortening for rendered beef suet, which is a highly saturated fat.