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    You are here: Home » Food » Beef

    Texas Chili – (No Beans)

    September 21, 2020 By Sean Martin 11 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe

    This Texas Chili Recipe has the fundamentals of an authentic Texas inspired meal. Meat, specifically chuck meat, chile, and beer. No beans. If you like beans in your chili you can find a fantastic version in our award-winning brisket chili recipe (did I mention that one has beans?).

    A bowl full of Texas Chili topped with shredded cheese, onions, and jalapeño

    If looking for a great side dish for chili our skillet cornbread is just perfect.

    And warning – this one is a little spicy.

    Jump to:
    • What is Chili?
    • Texas Chili vs Well, Everywhere Else
    • Making Texas Chili
    • Preparation – Chili Paste
    • Browning the Chuck Meat
    • To Make The Chili
    • How to Thicken the Chili
    • Related Recipes
    • Wine and Beverage Pairing
    • Authentic Texas Chili Recipe – No Beans

    So before we get to the recipe let’s discuss what we found when researching the idea of an authentic Texas Style Chili. It’s….complicated.

    What is Chili?

    Any chili (or chili con carne) by definition is a stew (yes, I said it, stew – not soup) cooked with chiles, whether fresh or dried chiles, that’s it. That’s the definition. Anything else you want to put in there still makes it a chili. Prove me wrong.

    The origination of this Texas chili came from Northern Mexico or Southern Texas, depending on the sources. Either way, we can thank our friends in Texas for having a say in how the classic dish came to be.

    Texas Chili vs Well, Everywhere Else

    By definition it’s a chili recipe with meat (typically chuck meat), chile peppers (most often dried peppers made into a paste), beer, and then it’s slowly cooked with stock to reduce and thicken. Note – no beans. Tomatoes will depend on where in Texas you are. Like BBQ, Texas has regional variations, and in this recipe we have no tomatoes.

    A bowl full of chili topped with cheese and jalapeños

    Making Texas Chili

    There is a process for making good chili, and the key element is that it takes time. Most of that time is to reduce and thicken the liquids to get that intense thick and rich flavor and texture as well as to achieve tender beef.

    A 4four photo collage on how to prepare Texas chili
    1. Make the paste – Use roasted dried chile and then blend with water to get a thick paste. This gives it the distinct flavor versus using dried powders.
    2. Brown the chuck meat – Browning the chuck meat adds flavor to the beef as well as allowing the seared meat that is sticking to the bottom of the pot to incorporate into the dish as it simmers.
    3. Soften onions and garlic – Remove the chuck meat and then start making the actual chili by softening the onions and garlic.
    4. Add ingredients – Layer in the remaining ingredients and slowly simmer away for a few hours to let the sauce reduce and tenderize the meat.

    Preparation – Chili Paste

    Roasting chile for the chili (note: chile refers to the actual plant versus the dish chili) and turning it into a paste adds the classic flavor versus dried spices.

    Seek out dried chile peppers. You’ll often find them in the Mexican section of your local grocer. And using a mix of different types of dried peppers adds flavor and heat versus just using one single type. Since there is no “dried chile” seasoning in this dish, the variation of peppers is the backbone of the flavor.

    We are using:

    • Chile de Arbol – This is the heat to our dish. It is small and spicy. We are using a larger portion of this for the heat factor (15,000 – 30,000 Scoville units compared to the Jalapeño at 3,500 – 8,000) and for the flavor and color.
    • Guajillo – Another great chile for base sauces like our chili paste. These are earthy with a slight sweetness and not overly spicy.
    • Pasilla – These large chiles are soft and add a rich earthy flavor and dark color. These are often used for mole sauce and give body to the chili paste. Also not spicy.

    Toast them in the pot with olive oil for 6 – 8 minutes over medium heat. Once they toast, remove the stems, add them to a blender with 1 cup of water and puree until smooth.

    Note: If you don’t want heat, then adjust the portions of Arbol down and replace with more Guajillo and Pasilla.

    Browning the Chuck Meat

    Start by searing the chuck meat with our SPG beef rub and a little olive oil. Then brown it in two batches to get that nice crust on the outside of the meat (we do two batches to avoid crowding the pot). If there is too much meat, it will steam and never get that nice crust. As the meat browns, the drippings at the bottom of the pan become a nice flavor addition once the liquids are added and deglaze the pot. Remove the browned meat to finish the remaining steps in making the chili.

    Another alternative to chuck is sirloin. Note that sirloin is more tender than chuck and won’t require the same cooking time to render.

    To Make The Chili

    With the chuck meat removed, add more olive oil and then soften the onions and garlic. We use six large cloves because we love garlic flavor in the chili. After they soften, we start to layer in the ingredients.

    1. Add the beef back into the pot, turn up the heat to medium, and pour in the beer. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
    2. Then add the chili paste and stir to incorporate, keeping the heat on medium.
    3. Add the beef stock and stir. The dish may appear to have too much liquid, but it will reduce.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and leave it simmering with the cover off, occasionally stirring every 15 minutes or so. At this point, continue simmering for three hours to let the liquid reduce and the flavors concentrate. This will intensify the chili flavor and it will render the chuck meat and make it very tender.
    5. As the meat renders use a fork to see if the meat is tender. When it is tender, and almost falls apart, it is done. This is when to add masa flour. The masa flour will act as a thickener.
    6. Adjust any seasonings (like salt), and serve with your favorite toppings. This is where we love adding fresh peppers like jalapeño.
    A large pot full of Texas Chili

    How to Thicken the Chili

    We use masa (corn) flour to thicken right as we finish the chili. This allows it to naturally reduce over the few hours of cooking and then add the additional thickening agent at the very end.

    A spoon full of chili

    Related Recipes

    • Smoked Brisket Chili
    • Ground Beef Chili
    • Smoked Chicken Chili
    • Turkey Chili
    • Chili Dogs
    • Green Chili Turkey

    Our favorite side is skillet cornbread for this one.

    Wine and Beverage Pairing

    Because of the heat, grab a beer like a lager or pilsner. Going for a wine pairing with this? A crisp and fruity rosé to offset the heat.

    A bowl of Texas Chili

    Authentic Texas Chili Recipe – No Beans

    Meat, beer, chile. The basics for this authentic and spicy Texas chili recipe.
    4.77 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 3 hours hours
    Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 247kcal
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $20.00

    Equipment

    • Large Dutch Oven
    • Blender

    Ingredients

    Paste

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 pods dried pasilla peppers
    • 4 pods dried guajillo peppers
    • 1 cup loosely packed dried chile de arbol
    • 1 cup water

    Texas Chili

    • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons beef rub
    • 3 pounds chuck meat, cubed into 1 inch cubes
    • 2 cups diced yellow onions (About two medium sized yellow onions)
    • 6 cloves garlic, diced
    • 1 12-oz can beer (We used lager)
    • 5 cups beef stock
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 tablespoons masa flour

    Optional Toppings

    • 1 small jalapeño, sliced
    • ¼ cup finely diced white onion
    • ½ cup diced cilantro
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Chili Paste

    • In a large dutch oven (we use a 7.5 quart) over medium heat, add olive oil and the dried chiles. Sauté the chiles for 6 – 8 minutes until you smell the aroma of the toasting chiles.
    • Remove the stems from the chiles and place into a blender with 1 cup of water.
    • Puree for 1 minute or until the texture of the paste is smooth.

    Make Chili

    • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and beef rub to the cubed chuck.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot the chile was roasting in over medium heat. In two batches add the cubed chuck meat (no need to add more olive oil in between batches). Stir the beef to brown the sides. Remove and reserve the beef for later.
    • Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, and add the onions and cook about 6 minutes while stirring often (just to soften the onions). Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
    • Return the beef to the pot and then add the beer. Stir for 1 minute.
    • Add the chile paste to the pot and stir and incorporate the beer and paste, keeping the heat on medium.
    • Add the beef stock, salt, and stir to incorporate. Bring the chili to a simmer and continue simmering uncovered for 2 – 3 hours stirring occasionally.
    • The chili is done when the beef has become fork tender, almost falling apart AND the liquids have reduced. This will take between 2 and 3 hours.
    • Once the beef is done and liquid has reduced, add the masa flour and stir. Turn off the heat and continue stirring. The chili will thicken.
    • Serve with your favorite toppings.

    Video

    Notes

    When reheating leftovers (if there are any), add a ¼ cup of water to chili in a sauce pan over medium heat. This will thin out the chili slightly while reheating.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 958mg | Potassium: 598mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 184IU | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah says

      March 16, 2023 at 11:14 pm

      5 stars
      I grew up in Dallas. Before retiring, my father was in the spice manufacturing business. He has a wall full of Texas chili contest awards that he’s exceedingly proud of, and will not tell you entering that’s in his chili. Will not. This recipe is damn near the exact same recipe he made. It’s nearly identical, but I believe he added cumin. This will be my new forever recipe. Absolutely awesome. So much rich depth, a luxurious dark and smooth base , and the meat get so very tender. My family loved it and didn’t think it was too spicy at all. Thank you for this amazing and true Texas chili!

      Reply
      • Sean Martin says

        March 17, 2023 at 3:32 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing this feedback. Our goal was to make it authentic and cumin is a good add too!

        Reply
    2. Spicy even for Spicy Likers says

      February 04, 2023 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      If you like smokey and spicy flavors, you will like this chili. Very nice and unique flavors. When others say a dish is very spicy we take that with a grain of salt b/c it is usually not the case – THIS time it is true. My husband likes very spicy food and this was a bit much for him. We cut it with sour cream. You can also reduce the chili de arbol ratio as suggested.

      Reply
      • Sean Martin says

        February 04, 2023 at 8:28 pm

        Thanks for the comments! It is indeed spicy. We just made a mild version and will update the recipe with a mild version that is just New Mexico Dried Red Chiles.

        Reply
    3. Jeff in Texas says

      February 12, 2022 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      This is hands down the best chili recipe I have ever made. Being from Texas, I’ve grown a bit tired of those who insist that “real” chili must have beans in it, but — while I love my pinto beans and have my own great recipe for them — they have no place in chili.

      One of the best things about this recipe is that the chili’s heat/spiciness can be readily adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number and types of chiles used to one’s particular taste. In making our first batch, I pretty much followed your ingredient recommendations with one exception: I started off by using only half the recommended amount of the hotter arbol chiles so that I could get my significant other to agree to eat it with me. She’s always been a ground beef and store-bought chili kit type when making her own chili, but I can tell you that she was also blown away by your recipe. Additionally, she’s on board for boosting the amount of chiles used over our next few renditions to see where it takes us. I know many who like their chili very, very spicy, and I’ll clue them in on adjusting that part of the recipe to their heart’s content.

      One small change I did make to your recipe was to cut the chuck roast into smaller pieces, more like ¼ to ½ inch cubes, and I think the mouthfeel came out better than it might have with the larger 1 inch chunks you suggested. That being said, I highly recommend this recipe and will share it with every one of my chili-loving chums. Love you newsletter, and keep up all your great work with recipes and wines!

      Reply
      • Sean Martin says

        February 12, 2022 at 4:04 pm

        Jeff, we love this and appreciate your specificity and modifications. We are also going to modify the content as well so we have a mild version too so a broader audience has a ratio for less spice. Grill on!

        Reply
    4. Lacie Stiewing says

      February 18, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      I followed this recipe, except I had to make some substitutions for what I had on hand: used moose and round steak, chipotle peppers, and dried thai chili…still turned out SO GOOD! Delicious. Tons of depth.

      Reply
    5. Taylor says

      January 11, 2021 at 6:28 pm

      4 stars
      !! WARNING !!
      This chili is unbelievably spicy. So much so, no one in my house could eat it. We tried diluting, adding cream and other reduction measures to make it less spicy, but couldn’t make it edible.

      It smells divine and has a remarkably good flavor. So if you order 4 stars at Thai restaurants I’m sure you’ll love this, but I wouldn’t expect the average guest or kids to be able to eat it.

      Reply
    6. Dan says

      November 20, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      4 stars
      This is very similar to mine. One note, corn masa can be used to thicken, but it makes the stew grainy. I like this sometimes, but I usually add a small amount of tomato paste, which adds body, and then reduce the liquid slowly. The result is a nice thick stew.

      Reply
    7. Chuck Newman says

      September 21, 2020 at 7:55 pm

      The only change I’d make is to add some ground cumin. About 1 part cumin to 4 parts chili powder. Since you make a paste (smart), add the cumin before making the paste. The aroma is unbelievable!

      If your budget permits, tri-tip is a very nice alternative to Chuck. Partially frozen, it cubes up nice and small.

      Reply
      • Sean Martin says

        September 21, 2020 at 8:55 pm

        Chuck those are awesome recommendations. Thanks for sharing!!

        Reply

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    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

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