Indulge in the comforting flavors of Tex-Mex Chili. This recipe is a delicious twist on traditional chili, featuring a rich blend of beef, pork sausage, and bacon, wrapped in the flavors of toasted chilis, roasted tomatoes, and spices. It’s the ultimate comfort food for a cool winter’s night.
What is Tex-Mex Chili?
To truly understand the essence of Tex-Mex Chili, we must journey back to a time when what is now Texas was still part of Mexico, laying the foundation for its unique name.
Before Texas officially became a state in 1845, it was a part of Mexico’s vast territory. It was during this period that the roots of Tex-Mex Chili began to take shape. The earliest documented mention of a dish resembling chili dates back to 1828, when J.C. Clopper described a stew-like concoction enjoyed by the families of San Antonio, then a part of Mexico. Though not referred to as “chili” at the time, this hearty mixture of meat and peppers that were stewed together laid the groundwork for what would later become known as chili con carne.
The culinary landscape evolved as Texas transitioned from Mexican territory to an independent republic and eventually a state. In the 1880s, San Antonio emerged as a hub of chili culture, with local markets boasting chili stands run by enterprising women known as “chili queens.” These pioneers of Texan cuisine served up bowls of chili con carne, blending Mexican and American flavors into a delicious fusion that would come to be known as Tex-Mex Chili when variations began to appear in the early 1900s.
Ingredients
- Beef Chuck, Italian Sausage, Bacon: One thing that sets this recipe apart from other Tex-Mex Chili recipes is the meat. I use three different proteins – the primary meat is Beef Chuck along with Sweet Italian Sausage and Smoked Bacon. Beef chuck, when it’s cooked “low and slow” becomes a wonderfully tender and flavorful piece of beef perfection. The subtle sweetness of the Italian sausage compliments the savory goodness of the beef, while the bacon adds an illusive hint of texture to the layers of flavor.
- Roma Tomatoes, White Onion, Celery, Green Pepper: While tomatoes aren’t traditionally included in Tex-Mex chili, roasting them first melds their flavor with that of the peppers, making them a welcome addition. The white onion, celery, and green pepper form the holy trinity that this chili is built on.
- Ancho Chili, Guajillo Chili, Pasilla Chili: Dried peppers are reconstituted and ground to impart a subtle yet satisfying spice. The Ancho and Pasilla peppers offer mild notes, while the Guajillo pepper adds a touch of medium heat. Together, they deliver a delightful yet tolerable level of spiciness suitable for all palates.
- Chipotle in Adobo: Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is dried and smoked jalapeño peppers mixed in a spiced tomato sauce. As such, they share the same medium-level heat as jalapeños (2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units.) The single Chipotle in Adobo found in this recipe blends well with the other chilies to provide a comfortable heat level for this dish.
- Spices – Garlic, Mexican Oregano, Ground Cumin, Salt, Pepper: Roasting the garlic provides more depth of flavor as it sweetens the garlic which allows it to blend well with the grassy backbone and strong, savory notes of the Mexican oregano. The cumin bolsters the natural spicy flavor of the peppers and adds a rich, earthy tone to the recipe.
Beans or No Beans
If you’re after real deal chili, it’s all about sticking to the basics – just like “Cookie” – the cattle drive cook – did on those old cattle trails. Think garlic, cumin, dried chili peppers, salt, pepper, and whatever else Cookie could scrounge up that hadn’t gone bad. But here’s the kicker: real Texas chili never, ever had beans in it.
Sure, beans are practical. They’re nutritious, portable, and last a long time. Cookie probably had a variety of beans to keep things interesting, sometimes adding salt pork for a little extra flavor. But let’s face it, those cowhands were eating beans day in and day out.
Now, every once in a while, the Trail Boss would decide to spice things up and have a steer butchered for some fresh meat. Cookie would whip up a mean stew with that meat, known as Texas Red. But here’s the catch – those cowboys didn’t want their chili tasting like the same old beans they were trying to escape. Sure, there might be a pot of beans simmering nearby, but they’d never find their way into the chili pot.
For those of you that like beans in your chili, well, I do too . . . sometimes. So, I’ll include a note on how to add beans in the variations below.
Equipment you’ll need
- Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
- 10 quart stockpot with lid
- Blender or Food Processor (to puree the chilis)
How to make Tex-Mex Chili
At first glance, this recipe appears to be rather complex as it has a large number of ingredients and quite a few steps. The French culinary term “Mise en Place” means “everything in its place,” and is more than just a cooking technique; it’s a philosophy that transforms chaos into culinary precision. This method begins with pre-reading and understanding the recipe, ensuring a clear roadmap for culinary success. Then, once armed with that knowledge, preparing and organizing all ingredients, tools, and equipment before cooking, ensuring a seamless and efficient culinary experience. Mise en place relieves stress by completing much of the work during the preplanning and preparation phase.
The first step of mise en place is to read and understand the recipe, so lets jump in and take a closer look.
Prepping the ingredients
- First thing is get your oven preheating to 400F and place a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat to toast the chilis.
- While you’re preheating, clean, de-stem and de-seed the chilis. Cut a slit down the side of the chili to split it open. When the chilis are cleaned, separate them into batches of 2-3 chilis.
- Add a single batch of chilis to your skillet. Using a slotted Spurtle or a wooden spatula, gently press the chili down into the skillet until it begins to blister. Keep a close eye on the chilis as they are toasting. Things can escalate quickly and leave you with burned chilis. When toasted, remove from the heat and place in a large bowl. Repeat with each batch until all the chilis are toasted.
- Reconstitute the chilis by just covering the chilis with boiling water. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. The chilis will not be in the hot water long enough to lose any flavor.
- Remove the outer papery layers of the garlic bulb. Using a very sharp knife, trim about ¼-½” from the top of the bulb to expose the cloves. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Wrap the bulb loosely in aluminum foil, place in the 400F oven and roast for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cool, crush with the side of a knife blade, using caution with the sharp edge.
- While the chilis are soaking, clean and destem the tomatoes. Place in the 400F oven for 20 minutes.
- Get a large stockpot preheating on the stove over medium heat.
Cooking the ingredients
- Cut the chuck roast into 1 – 1½ inch pieces. Generously salt the beef pieces with Kosher salt. Set the cut pieces aside for the moment.
- Slice the bacon into roughly ¼ inch slices. Place the bacon into the preheated stockpot and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Use caution! That bacon fat will be HOT! Save the bacon fat that you remove from the pot.
- Add a few of the chuck roast pieces at a time to the stock pot. Sear on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the beef pieces, you want to sear the beef, not sauté it. Remove the seared beef to a plate. Repeat until all the beef pieces are seared. If needed, add some of the saved bacon fat.
- Add the Italian sausage to the stockpot. Use a spatula to break up the sausage. Stir occasionally to brown. Once browned, remove to a paper towel lined plate.
Assemble the chili
- Add the holy trinity to the stockpot – onions, celery, and green pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until softened. Then add the garlic. Cook another minute or so until the garlic is fragrant. Remove about half of the onion mixture and place it into a blender – it’ll be the base of the pepper puree. Add the stock to the stockpot. Use your spatula to dislodge the pieces from cooking the meat that are on the bottom of the pot.
- Drain the peppers and add to the blender. Add one of the roasted tomatoes and a Chili in Adobo (with stem and seeds removed) to the blender. Add the remaining cup of beef stock to the blender and blend until smooth. If needed, add a small amount of water to help combine. Then add the chili puree to the stock pot. Stir to combine.
- Add all of the spices – Mexican oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper – to the stockpot, stir to combine, then add the seared beef pieces, sausage, and bacon. Stir to combine all ingredients. Raise the heat to medium-high and cover the pot. As soon as the chili begins to boil, lower the heat to low – medium-low or whatever heat is needed to maintain a very gentle simmer.
- Simmer the chili for 4 hours, covered, stirring occasionally. Check every 30-45 minutes and skim fat with a large spoon as necessary.
- After 4 hours, remove a cup of the broth from the stockpot, add the Masa Harina, stir well to combine. Return the broth to the stockpot, stir to combine and thicken the chili. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Simmer for another 30-45 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve with cheddar cheese, onions, diced tomato, or avacado.
Variations
- Add beans to your chili. Add 1 (15) ounce can of kidney beans with juices and 1 (15) ounce can of black bean with juices. Just know, if you add beans, the Chili will no longer be authentic Texas Chili according to the Chili Appreciation Society International.
- To add more heat to you chili, add 2 diced jalapeño peppers with seeds or add additional chipotle in adobo.
- Serve the chili in a bowl on a bed of Fritos.
Tex-Mex Chili
Tender beef, sausage, and bacon, bathed in the essence of toasted chilies, roasted tomatoes, and Tex-Mex flavors. Does it get any better than that? This Tex-Mex Chili recipe will take you back to the time of Texas Cattle drives!
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Beef, Soup
- Method: Stovetop
Ingredients
- 6 Ancho Chilis
- 3 Guajillo Chilis
- 3 Pasilla Chilis
- 4 Roma Tomatoes
- 3 pounds Beef Chuck (cut into 1″ cubes)
- 1 pound thick sliced Bacon (cut into 1/4 slices)
- 1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (any vegetable oil will work)
- 1 large white Onion, diced
- 3 ribs Celery, diced
- 1 Green Pepper, diced
- 1 Head fresh Garlic, roasted and crushed
- 5 cups beef stock
- 1 Chipotle in adobo, stem and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Fresh Ground pepper
- 1/4 cup Masa Harina
Equipment:
- Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
- 10–quart stockpot with lid
- Blender or Food Processor (to puree the chilis)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
-
Thoroughly clean the dried chiles, taking care to wipe any dusty crevasses. De-stem and de-seed the chiles, but don’t worry about getting rid of every last seed. Divide the chilis into batches of 2-3 chilis.
- Add a batch of chilis to the heated cast iron skillet. Use a wooden spatula to press the chili flesh down onto the dry heat, so that it starts to blister and turn a darker color. This should take 35-45 seconds. Remove the toasted chilis to a large bowl. Repeat until all the chilis are toasted.
- Pour water from a freshly boiled kettle over the chilies, and leave in a bowl to soak for at least 15 minutes – they are not in hot water long enough that they will lose flavor.
- While chilis are reconstituting, rinse and de-stem the tomatoes. Roast in a 400F oven for 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat a large stockpot over medium heat.
- While roasting tomatoes, cut the chuck roast into 1-1½” pieces, and add a generous amount of kosher salt. Discard any fat pieces you don’t want included in your Chili. Set the beef pieces aside.
- Add the bacon slices to the pot and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside. Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat, save the fat you remove.
- Add a few of the chuck roast pieces at a time to the pot. Sear the meat on all sides, for about 2-3 minutes and remove to a plate. Repeat the process until all the meat is seared. You may need a little more bacon fat than what’s listed, it will depend on how well-marbled the meat is. If needed, add some of the saved bacon fat.
- Add the Italian Sausage to the pot and stir occasionally until brown. Remove the sausage and place on a paper towel-lined plate set aside.
- Add the onions, celery, and green pepper to the pot. Stir occasionally, cooking until softened. Add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove half of the onion-garlic-green pepper mixture and place it into a blender where it will become part of the chili puree. Add 4 cups of stock to the stockpot.
- Drain the reconstituted chilies. Add the drained chilies to the blender, one of the roasted tomatoes, and a single chipotle in adobo. Add one cup of stock and blend until smooth. You may need to add more liquid if it won’t combine easily.
- Add the chili puree to the stockpot. Add 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon ground Cumin, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Stir to combine, then add the seared beef pieces, sausage, bacon, and remaining whole roasted tomatoes.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and cover the pot, when the chili begins to boil, lower the heat to low to medium-low. Let the chili simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Check every 30-45 minutes, skim fat with a large spoon or ladle as necessary.
- At 4 hours, remove a cup of the chili broth and add the masa harina, mix well, then add back into the chili pot. Stir to combine and thicken the chili.
- Let the chili simmer for another 30-45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. When done, serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions and tomatoes.
