Chili con Carne
Chili con Carne Say it: CHEE-lee kon KAR-neh
Chili con carne is the pride of San Antonio and the heart of Tex-Mex cooking: chunks of beef chuck braised with toasted dried chiles, cumin, garlic and oregano until the meat gives way under a spoon. There are no beans in the pot, and the heat comes from the chiles themselves rather than from chili powder. The result is dark, glossy and intensely savory, with a slow warmth behind it. It is a bowl of Texas history, served at cook-offs, family tables and late-night diners.
Chili con Carne
Chili con Carne
Pronounced CHEE-lee kon KAR-neh
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 45 min
- Total
- 3 hr 15 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Chile paste
For the stew
Method
Stem and seed the anchos, guajillos and pasillas, tear them into flat pieces and press them into a dry heavy skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds a side, until they smell nutty and turn slightly pliable — do not let them darken or the pot turns bitter.
Cover the chiles with the hot water and soak for 20 minutes until soft. Drain, keeping the soaking liquid, and blend the chiles with the garlic, cumin, oregano and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the soaking water for about 2 minutes until completely smooth; push the purée through a sieve and discard the skins.
Pat the beef dry and season with the salt. Heat the lard in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in three batches, 6–8 minutes each, until deeply crusted on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium, add the onions and cook 6–8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft and golden at the edges.
Pour in the chile purée and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until it darkens and thickens to a paste — it will sputter, so keep the heat moderate.
Return the beef and its juices, add the tomatoes and broth, and bring to a bare simmer. Cover partially and cook 2 to 2½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the beef shreds easily under a fork.
Whisk the masa harina into 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water and stir it in; simmer uncovered 15–20 minutes, until the broth coats a spoon and glossy fat pools at the surface.
Stir in the vinegar and brown sugar, taste and adjust the salt, then pull the pot off the heat and let it rest 20 minutes before ladling into bowls.
Regional variant: Chili with Beans (Chili con Frijoles)
Reduce the broth to 3 cups (720 ml) so the pot stays thick, and stir in 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) of pinto beans, drained and rinsed, during the last 20 minutes of simmering. Let them heat through without crushing them, and taste for salt again since the beans absorb seasoning. Beans are barred from Texas competition chili but are a standard home addition across the Southwest.
Cook's notes
- Toast the chiles only until fragrant and pliable; a few seconds too long and they turn acrid and dominate the whole pot.
- No dried chiles to hand? Use 1/2 cup (40 g) of a good pure chili powder blend stirred into the onions, plus 1 tbsp (7 g) extra cumin — the result is rounder but still good.
- Chili is better the next day: cool it uncovered for 30 minutes, refrigerate overnight and reheat gently with a splash of broth.
Serve with
Saltine crackers or warm flour tortillas, diced white onion, lime wedges, sliced jalapeño and cold beer.
Make ahead and storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat gently, adding a little broth if it has thickened too much.
