Texas Style Beer Braised Chili Recipes

TEXAS STYLE BEER BRAISED CHILI

Steps:

• For the chili powder: Toast the Aji Panca, cascabel, and habanero chilies in a 350 degree F oven until they are fragrant and crunchy. Let them cool, then break them open and remove the seeds. Grind them in a spice grinder and set aside.
• For the chili: Brown beef in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Drain off fat and remove beef from pot. Add the onion, red bell pepper, raw jalapenos, and 1/4 cup of the chili powder to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are softened and the chili powder is toasted.
• Deglaze with beer and red wine. Reduce by half and then add the tomatoes, the ground Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and red chili flake.
• Simmer for at least an hour. Add beef back to the mix. Add roasted garlic, pickled jalapenos, and salt and pepper to taste.
• For spicier chili, add more ground Aleppo pepper and cayenne pepper. Garnish with scallions.
• *These peppers can be found at Kalustyan's or at most specialty/gourmet grocery stores.

TEXAS STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• Cut steak into 1/2" cubes.
• Brown meat in oil (I just dribble olive oil on the bottom of the pan, as the meat makes alot of liquid anyway).
• Add onions (or reserve 1/2 cup for use later) peppers, and garlic to drippings in pan over medium heat.
• Cook 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add more oil if necessary.
• (Note: As I"chunk" my pepers and onions, it takes a bit longer than this for them to soften up).
• Return meat to pan and add tomatoes and their liquid and remaining ingredients, except cheese and set aside onions.
• (Note: When I want it thicker, I use a 28 oz. can of tomatoes as I use the 2nd can of tomato paste).
• Heat to boiling, then reduce to low, cover and simmer approx.
• 1 1/2 hours or until meat is fork tender, stirring occasionally.
• Spoon chili into large bowls, sprinkle cheese and add onions if desired.

TEXAS-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• In a small heavy skillet, toast cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. In a mortar and pestle, or in a coffee grinder, grind to a powder and set aside.
• Meanwhile, roughly cut beef into 2-inch cubes, or slice it against the grain into pieces about 1/4-inch thick by 1 1/2 inches square. Sprinkle with salt.
• In a large, heavy pot over high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the meat, turning occasionally until crusty. Adjust heat to prevent scorching. As it is cooked, remove the meat to drain on paper towels. Add more oil as needed for browning, but do not clean out the pot.
• To the empty but crusty pot, add onion, garlic, jalapeños, masa harina or tortilla (if using), chile powder, cumin-coriander powder and oregano. Cook, stirring, until onion has softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add meat, beer, tomatoes, chocolate, whole dried chiles and 1 quart water. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork-tender. Remove the dried chiles. Taste and add salt if necessary.
• Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate. The chili tastes best one or two days after it is made.
• Reheat over low heat if necessary and serve in bowls, sprinkled with chopped onion and cilantro. Add Fritos for crunch, or dip tortillas into the spicy gravy.

BIG BEND TEXAS-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• FOR THE CHILI:.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions, and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the beef and sauté for 7-8 minutes longer, while stirring frequently, or until the beef is well browned on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the chili powder, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, beer, vinegar, cumin, oregano and parsley and stir well to combine.
• Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, and cook , covered, for 45 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle with goat cheese.

TEXAS-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• Heat 1 TBL oil in skillet. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 tsp salt.
• Add meat to skillet and brown over medium-high heat (brown in two batches if necessary).
• Transfer meat to Dutch oven.
• Pour drippings from skillet into bowl and add enough water to make 4 cups.
• Heat remaining oil in same skillet.
• Add chopped onions, green peppers, jalapeno, and garlic to skillet and cook until softened, approx 4-5 minutes.
• Add remaining salt and spices to ingredients in skillet. Cook 1 minute.
• Stir tomato paste into mixture in skillet and cook 1 minute.
• Stir 1 cup water mixture into skillet and bring to boil, stir and scrape bottom of skillet.
• Add skillet mixture to beef in Dutch oven, stir to blend.
• Stir remaining water mixture into beef mixture in Dutch oven and bring to a boil.
• Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 - 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
• Increase heat a little and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes.