It’s rodeo season. That means one thing, chili cook-off season! Down here, there are a few things we take seriously and chili is it. This is serious b’ness. First off, Texas chili does NOT have beans. If you came here looking for beans, try it this way, it’s better 😉
Chili recipes are no joke. They’re labored over, taste tested and bragged about. They have secret ingredients and then more secret ingredients. They have chopped this and thats, ground up this and thats and a pinch of those.
So, now that ground rules are established = NO BEANS!! The first steps of an award winning flavor is the spice paste. It is a combination of all our spices mixed with a little water to form a thick paste. Don’t be intimidated by this part, it comes together very easy.
Second step is making sure you have a good cut of meat. A good cut of marbled chuck roast, or if you’re PawPaw some chopped venison, sets this chili above the rest. If you’re going with the chuck roast, cut the pieces into 1-inch cubes and then sear the meat. It seals in your flavor right from the start.
After that, it’s all about the low and slow. It takes time to let all the flavors mesh and meld.
Chili is not so much food as a state of mind.
Margaret Cousins
GOOD FOOD. GOOD FRIENDS. GOOD TIMES.
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PawPaw's Texas Chili
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Ingredients
Spice Paste: 
- 3 Tablespoons ancho chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 Tablespoon chipolte chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1/4 cup hot water
Chili
- 4 pounds stew meat or diced chuck roast
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 jalapenos, finely diced
- 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 cups beef broth
- 8 oz tomato paste
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Combine all spice paste ingredients and slowly stir in 1/4 cup hot water and 1/4 cup hot coffee. Stir until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.
- Heat large pot over medium-high heat (5 or 6). Add in oil. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper, then sear meat on all sides. Remove to a plate and let rest.
- Add chopped onion to pan and add 1 Tablespoon oil. Cook until onion is iridescent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and jalapenos. Cook 1-2 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
- Add spice paste to onion mixture and stir until the mixture is evenly coating. Add in brown sugar, Worcestershire, beef broth, tomato paste, water and salt. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent any onions or spices from sticking to the bottom and singeing.
- Allow to come to a boil, then turn heat to low (1), cover and slow cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Stir the chili every 30-ish minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom.
- Serve hot. Serve with cheese, chopped onions, sour cream and either corn bread or Fritos.
Note: If chili thickens too fast, add 1/2 cup hot water, stir and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Note: If using a slow cooker or crock pot, prepare spice paste the same, then add cubed meat and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
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