Texas-Style Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- ¼ cup ground ancho chile pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 1 (4-lb) beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-in (4-cm) cubes
- 8 oz (about 8 slices) bacon, cut into ¼-in (6-mm) pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 small yellow onions, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) chunks
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 jalapeño peppers, cored, seeded and finely diced
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups water, plus more for the chili paste and deglazing the pan
- 1¼ cups lager beer
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon molasses, such as Grandma's Original
- 2 teaspoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Mix the chili powders, cumin, oregano, coriander, cinnamon, and cornmeal in a small bowl and stir in ½ cup (120 ml) water to form a thick paste; set aside.
- Season the beef with the salt; set aside.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick, until the fat renders and the bacon crisps, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour all but a few teaspoons of fat from the pot into a small bowl; set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Sear the meat in three batches (it should be in a single layer) until well browned on one side, about 4 minutes per batch, adding more of the reserved bacon fat as necessary. (Hint: Once the meat is in the pan, don't stir or touch it – leaving it alone will allow it to develop a nice brown crust on one side.) Place the seared meat on a plate. Add about ¼ cup (60 ml) of water to the pot (it will smoke), and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to release all of the flavorful brown bits. Pour the dark liquid over the seared meat.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat to the pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook 2 minutes more. Add the reserved chili paste and sauté until fragrant, a few minutes (it will look clumpy and stick to the bottom a bit – that's okay).
- Add the beef broth and stir with a whisk until the spice mixture is completely dissolved. Scrape the bottom of the pot with the whisk to release any spices. Stir in the the water, beer, crushed tomatoes, molasses and cocoa powder. Add the reserved bacon and seared beef (along with the juices from the beef on the bottom of the plate) back to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover, leaving the lid just barely ajar. Simmer, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, until the meat is meltingly tender and the juices are thickened, 2½ to 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle the chile con carne into bowls and serve with cilantro, cheese, and lime wedges.
Notes
- When selecting the meat, be sure not to buy anything generically labeled "stew meat." Also, you will lose about ½ lb (230 g) after trimming the fat, so if you buy the meat already trimmed and cubed, you'll only need about 3½ lb (1.6 kg).
- To make bacon easier to chop, try placing it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes first. The colder it is, the easier it is to cut.
- When handling jalapeño peppers, avoid touching your eyes and wash your hands well afterward.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The chili can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost it in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.