Showing:

Recipes >

Bob's Texas Chili

Ingredients

  • 6 pounds coarse ground beef
  • 1/2 pound dried ancho chili's wrinkled, dark red to almost black
  • 4 cups onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 ounces chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 quarts cooked pinto beans (optional)

Prep Time:

1 hour

Cook Time:

2 hours

Serves:

12

This chili recipe has been handed down in our Texas family for generations. We’re not sure, but our best guess is it originated sometime in the second half of the 1800’s. It has been modified slightly (i.e., original recipe called for 5 pounds beef, 1 pound tallow), but is essentially true to the original. It has not fallen prey to fad ingredients or the desire for heat. It is a great, traditional bowl of Texas chili.
While it can’t boast a litany of chili championships (because it’s never been entered), it has been the champion of countless gatherings of family and friends for over a century. The chili was a staple of our household growing up and is as nostalgic for me as any comfort food I know.

Why Try? This chili has been a crowd-pleaser for more than 100 years. It might just become a comfort food favorite at your house

Foodie Byte: In the true tradition of Texas Red, it does not contain tomatoes. We have never had a bias against beans. We have often added them as a matter of taste preference and as a way to stretch the servings (hey, chili was originally intended to serve a large family for days). It’s wonderful with or without them.

TAGS: , , , , , , , , , ,

Preparation

  1. Peel and chop onions.
  2. Break ancho chili pods open and remove all seeds. Place deseeded pods in a pot with 3 cups water and boil at least 20 minutes or until tender. Remove and SAVE the liquid.
  3. Grind the peppers in blender or food processor to form a chili paste.
  4. Put oregano in 3 cups water. Bring to boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain this and SAVE the strained oregano water.
  5. Add 2 cups of water to a large pot (3-5 gallon) and bring to a boil.
  6. Add chili meat, onions and garlic. Cook for 30 minutes (you may need to add more water while cooking). Add saved chili pepper water and ancho chili paste.
  7. Add strained oregano water, chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin.
  8. Cover pot and cook for 45 minutes stirring every 5 to 10 minutes.
  9. Optional - add pinto beans if desired.
  10. Cover pot and cook 30-45 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and immediately sprinkle flour over the top of the chili. DO NOT STIR. SPRINKLE 3/4 cup cold water over the flour. DO NOT STIR.
  11. Cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. If it's too thick add water. Serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Information

Calories 712, Carbohydrates 26g, Cholesterol 161mg, Fat 48g, Fat Calories 433, Fiber 8g, Protein 44g, Saturated Fat 18g, Sodium 243mg. Daily Values: Calcium 104.92mg 10%, Phos 440.25mg 44%, Copper 0.33mg 17%, Zinc 10.15mg 68%, Panto 1.68mg 17%, Biotin 1.97mcg 657%, Iodine 1.07mcg 1%, Magnesium 76.3mg 19%, Iron 8.6mg 48%, Vitamin B6 80%, Vitamin C 8%, Vitamin B12 81%, Vitamin D 3%, Vit E-a-Toco 10%, Vitamin A 106%. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.