True Texas Chile Con Carne

 

True Texas Chili Con Carne

With winter around the corner, nothing warms you up like a bowl of good chili. Real Texas chili never has beans in it. Although my recipe does include a little tomato sauce (also verboten in classic Texas chili), this easy recipe makes a good, old-fashioned bowl of red. If you like beans, serve them on the side, please. This formula is only moderately hot, assuming that the chili powder you use is basic, store-bought stuff. To bring it up to three or four alarms, increase the amount of chili powder or use a very hot powder, available from most spice sources.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds lean beef round or chuck cut into bite-size cubes
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
5 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon of Tabasco
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon masa harina (or corn starch) dissolved in 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Sautee the onion and garlic in oil until soft.
2. Add the beef and cook until it is browned.
3. Add salt, sugar, pepper, oregano, cumin, chili powder, Tabasco, tomato sauce, and water. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmering boil and cook partially covered for one hour and 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Add masa harina (or corn starch) dissolved in water into chili and stir it in well. Place the chili over low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally till thickened.

You can make a larger batch and freeze it in pint or quart containers, and it actually tastes better when re-heated. To make the meal complete, grate some sharp cheddar over the bowl of chili, and serve with a green salad, and crusty toasted Portuguese rolls.