Texas Red

Chili - Texas Style

2 lbs Beef Stew Meat

2 Lbs Ground Beef

1 Can Hot Rotel

1 Can Mild Rotel

1 Large Yellow Onion, chopped

4-6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced

2/3 C Chili Powder

6 tsp Paprika

4 tsp Cumin

3 tsp Oregano, rubbed in palms

1 tsp Kosher salt

Accent seasoning, to taste (Optional)

2 Tbs All Purpose Flour (Optional)

Equipment:

Heavy skillet

Slow Cooker

Cutting Board

Sharp Knife

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet to medium high heat. Do not oil the pan!!! I use cast iron for this because you can get a beautiful sear from it. While the pan is heating, cut stew meat into bite-sized pieces. When you get it from the store, the chunks tend to be uneven and vary in size. You are looking for uniformity here.

When skillet is very hot, add one pound of the stew meat and spread out. It should not be crowded in order to prevent the meat from steaming instead of searing. Here's the hard part: leave it alone. Let the meat sear for a solid 3 minutes before you even think about touching it. You are looking for a very browned exterior. Once the bottom is well seared, stir the meat around in the pan a bit and continue to sear. Transfer seared stew meat and juices to the slow cooker. Wipe the skillet out so that it is dry again and sear the second pound of stew meat, adding it to the first in the slow cooker.

Add all spices to slow cooker and toss to coat the stew meat. Before adding the dried oregano, rub it between your palms to crush it very well and to "wake it up."

Sear the ground beef in large chunks, being careful to not break it up too much. Again, you are going to want to do this in two batches. When the second batch is finished searing, transfer the meat to the slow cooker, being careful to leave the drippings in the skillet.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the chopped onion to the skillet. Saute until softened and lightly browned, then add the minced garlic. Saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, taking care to not burn the garlic. Transfer the onion and garlic to the slow cooker.

Add both cans of Rotel to the slow cooker. In a bowl with a lid, add a cup of cool water and the flour. Put the lid on the bowl and shake until flour is well combined with the water. The flour step is completely optional, but this step will add a bit of body to the chili and will make it a little bit thicker. GENTLY stir to combine, taking care to not break up the large chunks of ground beef. Add just enough water to barely cover the mixture.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring very gently about once every 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for a minimum of 4 hours. You may cook for as long as 6 additional hours. You are looking for the stew meat to be very tender.

Just before serving, break up the larger chunks of ground beef into bite sized bits. Serve with whatever toppings you like, and with crackers, cornbread, corn chips - whatever floats your boat!

Note: This is absolutely better the second day. If you have the time, put it in the fridge overnight and serve it the following day. The flavors have time to come together and party a little that way.

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So now, about the recipe. This is hands down one of my most requested recipes ever. And man, does chili have a colorful past and vicious fans!

This particular recipe is based on First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson's chili recipe that I altered to fit my personal taste. Her husband, President Lyndon B. Johnson had some very strong feelings about chili, saying "Chili concocted outside of Texas is usually a weak, apologetic imitation of the real thing. One of the first things I do when I get home to Texas is to have a bowl of red. There is simply nothing better." Yikes! Harsh, much? To be fair, chili has quite a storied past in the Lone Star State and if you've ever met a native Texan, they are nothing if not overflowing with copious amounts of pride about their state and everything born there! This pride envelops chili with a warm, spicy hug! The "Chili Ladies" set up camp in San Antonio Texas in the 1800's and started selling their concoction, chili con carne. It was so popular that it was featured at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893! Am I saying that this was the first incarnation of red chili? Nope. But this is the first recorded pop culture following that chili amassed. Chili was also a staple on cattle drives. Dried spices and canned tomatoes were easy to transport, and there was always beef cattle available. The cookey would start a batch in the morning, and by the time all of the hands got back to camp, there would be a vat of belly-filling, soul-warming chili at the ready.

Now, there is a seriously vicious debate over beans vs no beans that starts legitimate arguments amongst chili aficionados and pod heads everywhere. I have honestly been a witness to grown men almost throwing punches over beans in chili! Having been born and raised in Texas, I ate a lot of chili growing up. And it usually had beans in it. I know! Shock and horror! Gasp!! If you notice, there are zero beans here. Not one. If you want to follow the CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International) rules for competition worthy chili, no fillers are allowed in the pot, and will get you disqualified before you can even submit your bowl to the judges. No beans, no potatoes, no pasta, no rice, etc. The bean lovers' camp likes to call this "meat sauce" because clearly, if there is nothing but meat and spices in the pot.

Here's the thing: I like chili. A lot. When the first chill of fall makes its way in and the trees start to blush, I want chili. It's a hug in a bowl for me. While I am a sixth generation Texan, I have to admit that I'm also a bean lover and I absolutely won't turn down a bowl of chili with beans! Mr. Sutton makes absolutely delicious chili that I request quite often, and it has not one but two kinds of beans in it!

As for this particular recipe, I chose to respect my Texas roots and forgo the beans. I recommend that you do, too. To maintain the integrity of the recipe, of course! I'll see what I can do to pry the mister's recipe out of him and maybe get his blessing to share it with you.

***Recipe Notes***

It is important to know that you can very easily adjust some of the ingredients to suit your taste. The ground beef can be 80/20, or you can go super lean with a 93/7. While it's a "not for me" food, venison would work great in this recipe. (I just don't care for the texture) The spice level of this chili is pretty tame. It has just enough bite to know you're eating good chili! If you want more heat, add 2 cans of hot Rotel instead of a mild and a hot. Need even more heat? Add some cayenne. Want it mucho mild? Add 2 cans of mild. I like the addition of the flour as it lends a bit of body to the saucy part. If you want to leave it out, it's not going to hurt anything. The addition of the Accent seasoning is completely up to you. It is quite literally a bottle of MSG. It enhances the flavor of anything you add it to, and it is especially good at elevating that umami flavor that is particularly coveted in beefy dishes. If you have a sensitivity to MSG, simply skip this ingredient. I promise, it will still taste good! This also freezes really well, so it makes for a great week night meal during a cold and busy week! It's your world, paint your own pretty bowl of red!