Texas style chili is sometimes called a “bowl of red” and can be hot or mild. One thing it generally does not have is Beans! Here is my quick version followed by 3 from scratch recipes for authentic Texas style Chili.
Fritos are a great addition to a bowl of Texas chili. I never see that in the recipes!!
Now I shortcut the recipes a little with some store-bought products and a little venison
Texas Chili
I like the Carroll Shelby brand chili mix, but the Wick Fowler brand is fine as well. Both contain pre-measured spices. It is nice to get a little masa and not have to have alot around.
The recipe is on the back of the box but is similar to the traditional chili one below. I make a few modifications.
- I substitute 1 pound of venison chili meat for 1 pound of beef. I buy the higher fat ground beef for the 2nd pound to offset the lean venison. I prefer to have one of the two pounds of meat to be chili cut and one pound to be ground. If you have venison ground go with chili cut beef for the second pound.
- I also substitute one can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles for one of the cans of water.
- I add in garlic and onion powder to the overall chili mix
- I simmer it a little longer and add as little masa as possible to thicken. sometimes not at all.
- I put fritos in the bottom of my bowl. Most others add them to the top.
- add pickled jalapenos, shredded cheddar cheese and a little sour cream if you want
so that’s my fast beef & venison Texas Chili.
Here are some from scratch versions.
Traditional Texas Chili
This is the classic Texas chili recipe, made with ground beef, chili powder, cumin, and a variety of dried peppers. It is typically served with shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced onions.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup beef broth
Instructions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the green chiles, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chili has thickened.
Serve hot with shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced onions.
Three-Meat Texas Chili
This chili is made with a combination of ground beef, beef chuck roast, and chorizo sausage. It is a bit more hearty than the traditional chili, and it has a nice smoky flavor from the chorizo sausage.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup beer
Instructions:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the beef chuck roast and chorizo sausage to the Dutch oven. Cook until the beef is browned and the sausage is cooked through.
Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the Dutch oven. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the onion and garlic to the Dutch oven and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, or until the chili has thickened.
Serve hot with shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced onions.
Here is one for the leaf eaters …
Vegetarian Texas Chili
This chili is made with a variety of vegetables, including beans, corn, and tomatoes. It is a great option for vegetarians and vegans, and it is still packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chili has thickened.
Serve
