Recipe: Texas Red Chili
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
55 minutes
Servings:
8 cups
Ingredients
  • ½ cup lard or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped white onion, plus more for garnish
  • 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 2 red bell peppers—stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 2 green bell peppers—stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 1 vine-ripe tomato, cored and roughly chopped
  • 2½ pounds ground beef
  • ¾ cup ancho chile powder
  • ½ cup cumin
  • ¼ cup dried oregano
  • ¼ cup paprika
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1¾ cups beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons masa flour
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • Sour cream, for garnish
  • Shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish
  • Crushed tortilla chips, for garnish
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Directions
  1. In a large saucepan, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 minutes. Add the ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, paprika and a large pinch of salt, and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced slightly, 30 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the masa flour with the water until a paste forms. Stir the paste into the chili and continue to cook until thickened, 15 minutes more. Season with salt.
  4. Divide the chili among bowls; top with the onions, sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips and cilantro; and serve.