Looking for the perfect Texas chili recipe? Look no further! In this video, Nicole shows you how to make the best Texas chili you’ve ever tasted, packed with rich flavors, tender meat, and just the right amount of heat. Whether you're a chili enthusiast or a beginner, this step-by-step guide will help you create a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal that's perfect for any occasion.
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00:00Today, I'm cooking something that I've never made before.
00:03Texas chili.
00:04It is so rich and thick and hearty, slightly creamy.
00:08And the two hard rules about Texas chili
00:11is that there are no tomatoes and no beans.
00:13So, don't put it in there.
00:16The two main components, the meat and dried chilies.
00:20These are really inexpensive
00:21and they're very readily available
00:23at a lot of different grocery stores.
00:25So we just picked up a variety.
00:27I'm gonna use a total of two to three ounces.
00:30So that's basically the equivalent of one of these bags.
00:32So you're talking like just a few bucks.
00:34I am going to use an ancho chili
00:37because this is like a smoked poblano.
00:41So it has that smoky flavor anyway.
00:43Characteristic of Texas chili
00:44is that it is really hearty and smoky.
00:46So I'm gonna use anchos for sure.
00:48And then I'm also gonna do guajillo.
00:50These are very readily available, also very inexpensive.
00:53I saw a lot of recipes include
00:56the pasilla chili.
00:57Guajillo is gonna be a little spicier than the pasilla
00:59and about the same as the ancho.
01:01Now we want that richness from the dried chilies
01:03but we don't want all the heat.
01:05So I'm going to remove the stem and the seeds.
01:08Easiest way to do that are with some kitchen shears.
01:10And then just kinda cut down the center.
01:14Open it up.
01:15Okay, this is gonna remove the heat
01:16without removing the flavor.
01:17And what we're making with the dried chilies
01:19is like a paste.
01:20And that is the key ingredient
01:22besides the meat in Texas chili.
01:24So the first thing we wanna do
01:26is cook these up in a skillet
01:28just to release some of those flavors.
01:30You don't really wanna skip this step.
01:32I know it doesn't seem like that big of a deal,
01:35but it is.
01:36See it happens kinda fast,
01:37especially with these thin ones.
01:38You can definitely smell it
01:39and also don't forget to wash your hands
01:41because like don't touch your eyes.
01:44You touched all those seeds.
01:45All right, so I'm gonna add the toasted chilies to a bowl
01:47and then we're gonna pour over some boiling water.
01:50And then we're just gonna let that steep
01:51for about 20 to 30 minutes
01:53or until those peppers are really soft.
01:55All right, while that happens,
01:56we'll get the meat going.
01:57You want something really hearty here.
01:59Typically it's like a chuck roast or stew meat.
02:02You just want a hearty cut of meat
02:03that will tenderize over a long, low and slow cook time.
02:07We're just going to cube up this chuck roast.
02:10I think you want it kind of, you know,
02:12like more bite-sized pieces
02:14because you're not really gonna shred it later.
02:15There's plenty of fat throughout the meat.
02:17So trim off some of the extra
02:19just so your pot's not like too greasy.
02:21All right, the meat is all cut up
02:24and then I'm just gonna season it.
02:26Try to get it, you know, coated on all the sides
02:28just with salt and pepper.
02:29We have a lot of flavor coming in later.
02:31To me, Texas chili is a combination of chili and a stew
02:36because it's super thick.
02:37I just am so excited about it.
02:38It's gonna be so good.
02:39I'm gonna give it a little toss and season the other side.
02:42I think the reason I haven't made this chili before
02:44is because in my head I thought everyone smoked the meat,
02:47you know, elsewhere and then add it to the chili,
02:49but the smokiness really comes from the peppers and stuff.
02:51This is doable.
02:52Kind of surprised I have waited till now to make this.
02:55All right, so get you a heavy Dutch oven.
02:57Get it hot.
02:58And then I'm gonna add in just some neutral oil.
03:01So canola or vegetable or lard,
03:04just enough to create a little boundary
03:05between the pot and the meat.
03:08You're gonna have to do this in batches
03:09so that it all gets good and browned.
03:12Let that go undisturbed for a few minutes.
03:14I'm gonna chop up my onion and garlic.
03:16This is a lot less chopping than I do in my other chili
03:19because you don't have to chop up
03:20all the bell peppers and stuff.
03:23So we're developing color and flavor on the meat,
03:26but also in the pan,
03:28and that's gonna be our first layer of flavor.
03:30Keep your pan really hot,
03:31otherwise your meat just steams in there.
03:33We want brown meat, not gray meat.
03:35Once your meat's browned,
03:36I'm gonna go in with the onion into the drippings.
03:39All right, as these cook,
03:40they're gonna start to lift the flavor
03:42from the bottom of the pan.
03:43And we're gonna cook these until they're nice and soft,
03:45about four or five minutes.
03:47While that happens,
03:48we're gonna turn our chilies into our chili paste.
03:50All right, so all we need to do is take our chilies.
03:54They're really soft now and pliable.
03:56I'm gonna add that to a blender.
03:58I'm gonna save the water in case I want some of that.
04:00I don't like to use too much of that
04:02because it kind of gives kind of a strong,
04:05like bitterish flavor.
04:06I'm also gonna add in my garlic here
04:07instead of with the onions
04:08because I don't like chopping it.
04:10So that goes in there.
04:11Also going in with the chilies
04:12are some canned chipotles in adobo.
04:15This adds another layer of like rich smokiness.
04:20Don't touch your eyes.
04:22Don't rub your eyes.
04:23I also like a little of the sauce.
04:26I'm gonna use just like about a half a cup
04:28of chili soaking water
04:30just to kind of get it going in there.
04:31And then we're just gonna blend that up
04:33until it's nice and smooth.
04:39Look at that.
04:40Thick.
04:40You can tell the flavor just by the color.
04:42The smell is so incredible.
04:44It just gives you that like kind of true chili flavor.
04:47If you'll also notice a lot of these recipes
04:49for Texas chili,
04:50don't use chili powder
04:51because this should give you enough of that flavor
04:54that you don't need it.
04:54If you find yours lacks some chili,
04:57then you know you can add it,
04:59but this will not.
05:00Now everything comes together in the pot.
05:02All right, our onions are really soft.
05:04Now we're gonna add in some spices.
05:06So cumin, classic and chili
05:09also adds a little earthy smokiness.
05:11Best ingredient is a little controversial to me.
05:14Well, cinnamon, it is in a lot of the recipes.
05:17I am gonna add half as much as the recipe calls
05:19because I just don't love that cinnamony
05:22and like chocolatey chili flavor.
05:24So in I go with cinnamon.
05:25And then that chili paste that we made.
05:27You know, I told you like Texas chili
05:29is like just really thick,
05:31almost like a thick gravy.
05:32That happens when you add in some masa harina,
05:36which is corn flour.
05:37You wanna dissolve it a little bit first
05:39just so we don't get clumps of it.
05:40So I've got a little bit of water here
05:42and I'm gonna whisk some of this in there.
05:45So not only does it act as a thickener,
05:46but it does kind of add a unique flavor.
05:50I like beer in my chili and with my chili.
05:54So I'm gonna add that in as part of my liquid.
05:57Beer is gonna get the remaining flavor
05:58from the bottom of the pot.
06:00Color is looking on point.
06:02Okay, then in with our beef broth.
06:04I know that pot looked a little messy,
06:06but I'm cleaning it up right now, see?
06:09Look at that.
06:10Texans, how am I doing?
06:12In with a couple of bay leaves.
06:13You can use fresh or dried.
06:15And then also back in with our meat
06:17and any juices that have accumulated.
06:21Let's see how we're doing on flavor.
06:24I mean, it's already like thickish.
06:32This is gonna be so good.
06:33Once it comes to a simmer, you're gonna reduce the heat
06:35and then partially cover it
06:37and let it go until that meat is tender,
06:39about a couple hours.
06:40Check this out.
06:42Look at the color and richness in this pot of chili.
06:46See, this is another example of simple ingredients
06:50creating something magical.
06:51We're just talking like some chilies
06:53and then your normal things, onion, garlic, and meat.
06:56And I'm using a top-rated recipe
06:58with a couple of my own twists, of course.
07:00So it finishes off with just a little bit,
07:02we're talking like a tablespoon for the whole pot,
07:04of brown sugar and white vinegar.
07:06And it makes sense to me because the vinegar
07:08is gonna kind of cut through some of that richness
07:10and then brown sugar is just gonna balance out
07:13that intensity from the chili peppers.
07:15And then a tablespoon of vinegar.
07:19Just look at that.
07:20I mean, I didn't know it was gonna be that perfect.
07:24If it's not perfect, don't tell me, okay?
07:27Cause I'm gonna choose to believe it is.
07:34And the chili is done.
07:35Now I did simmer it for about two and a half to three hours
07:38just because I got busy.
07:39But this is one of those things
07:41you really can't cook it, you know, too long.
07:43My first pot of Texas chili.
07:47Now I can tell you, you're probably not gonna eat
07:49as much of this as you would the kind with tomatoes
07:52and beans and such because it is hearty and rich.
07:58So I'm gonna cut some of that richness
07:59and make my perfect bites with a little bit of sour cream.
08:03I definitely suggest topping this with just like
08:05some super like fresh, cold toppings
08:08just to cut that richness and balance it.
08:10So I'm gonna add a little bit of finely chopped white onion.
08:14We use so many chilies, but it's really not that spicy.
08:17It has like the perfect kick.
08:20Normally I do top my chili with cheese,
08:22but I'm not even feeling like I need it right now.
08:24Look at that.
08:27My mouth just started watering
08:29when I just reached in for that bite.
08:38If you need chili powder in your Texas chili recipe,
08:41then you're doing it wrong
08:42because you get so much of that satisfaction
08:45in like the most natural way, straight from those chilies.
08:49And that meat, I mean, it's so tender now.
08:56You can taste the rich smokiness.
08:58It's like the most in-depth flavored chili I've ever had.
09:09Oh, good call.
09:11This is like getting to make chili,
09:13but it's a whole different experience.
09:15Texas chili for the win.
09:18Definitely need to give this recipe a try.
09:21Mm, so good.