How to Make Texas Red Chili | Beef Chili Recipe

beef chuck

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Ground turkey reduces fat content while chicken is often less expensive.

jalapeños

🥗Healthier: bell peppers

💰Cheaper: canned green chilies

Bell peppers provide sweetness and are milder.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Vegetable broth lowers calories and can be made easily.

chili powder

🥗Healthier: paprika and cayenne

💰Cheaper: cayenne pepper

Paprika adds flavor while cayenne provides heat.

Toast dried chilies in a dry Dutch oven pan on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Move toasted chilies to a bowl and submerge them in boiling water, using a smaller bowl on top to keep them submerged. Seal with Saran wrap and let steep for about 30 minutes.

Cut chuck roast into one-inch pieces, removing any excess fat.

Add a little oil to the dry Dutch oven pan and heat to high heat.

Season the beef with salt and black pepper. Sear the beef in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pan for a good crust, and remove to a sheet tray once browned.

Add more oil to the pan and sear the second batch of beef.

Dice onions to a medium to small size and sauté in the same pan until translucent and semi-soft, scraping up brown bits from the bottom.

Mince fresh garlic and add it to the pan, stirring briefly to avoid overcooking.

Add dried spices, brown sugar, and dried herbs to the onions and garlic, stirring to combine.

Add Masa to the mixture and cook for about 2 minutes before turning off the heat.

Remove stems and scrape out seeds from the steeped chilies, then roughly chop them for blending.

Blend the chilies with a bit of the reserved steeping liquid until smooth.

Add the blended chilies to the pan with the onions, turn the heat back up to medium-high, and add tomatoes and beef stock.

Add the seared chuck roast to the pan, cover, and braise for about 3.5 hours.

After 30 minutes of simmering uncovered, adjust seasoning and add juice from a whole lime to brighten the flavors.

Juice the lime by rolling it on the cutting board before cutting in half to catch seeds while squeezing.

Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt if needed.

Serve the chili garnished with sour cream and extra lime if desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: