This Texas Chili Recipe is as authentic as they come, straight out of a Texan’s kitchen, and it never disappoints. It comes thick, hearty, and packing tons of flavor thanks to a hefty dose of chili powder, hints of cumin, and fresh peppers. With the perfect amount of spice and a little Tex-Mex flair, this chili is best served as a hearty weeknight dinner entree or with as the main event, alongside a bucket of ice-cold beer at your next party!
Add your favorite toppings and don’t forget a hunky slice of Homemade Skillet Cornbread on the side. Like beefy Texas recipes? Try our Tex-Mex Enchiladas, Hot Dog Chili, and Ground Beef Chimichangas!
WHAT MAKES TEXAS CHILI DIFFERENT?
Like beans in your chili? Feel free to add them, however, once those beans go in, beware of calling it Texas Chili. Cause it’s not. Texans take their chili seriously, and this misuse of words might just land you outside of the Lonestar state and into a state of blasphemy.
WHAT IS TEXAS CHILI?
In a true-blue Texas Chili Recipe, there are no beans to be found. Period. Texans don’t eat beans in their chili. Under any circumstances. Ever. It’s all about the beef.
There’s been some discrepancy on the web in regard to whether or not there are tomatoes in Texas Chili. We’re not sure who (or where) this nasty rumor got started, but the answer is a definitive “yes.” Texans absolutely use tomatoes in their chili.
So what is Texas Chili? Take out the beans, throw in some extra beef, don’t forget the tomatoes, hit it with a little Tex-Mex flair, and make it extra savory. That, my friends, is what makes it a solid Texas Chili Recipe.
TEXAS CHILI INGREDIENTS
- Beef – If you didn’t already know, ground beef comes in different grind sizes. You can read more about that here. But, for today’s sake, all you need to know is 80/20 Coarse Ground Beef. If you can’t find it in the meat section of your grocery store, ask the butcher to make you some. This beef is perfect for making chili. It doesn’t break down as easily as regular ground beef and is perfectly suited for a long simmer.
- Fresh Veggies – For a full-flavored Texas Chili, you’ll need to have yellow onion, jalapeños, bell pepper, and garlic on standby.
- Tomatoes – As discussed earlier, yes — there are absolutely tomatoes in Texas Chili. You’ll need a can of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Broth and Beer – Beef broth will make up the liquid base of your chili. Be sure to use only unsalted/low-sodium beef broth or your chili will be far too salty. A nice, full-bodied ale will give your chili an extra boost of flavor, but if desired, you can leave out the ale and replace it with more beef broth.
- Spices – You can’t have a solid Texas Chili Recipe without an onslaught of spices: Chili powder, Kosher salt, cumin, pepper, and bay leaf.
HOW TO MAKE TEXAS CHILI
- Cook and Season the Ground Beef – Place an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven (or a large pot) over medium-high heat, add the ground beef along with some of the chili powder, Kosher salt, cumin, and black pepper. Break apart the meat and sauté for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer the cooked beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Sear the Veggies – Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños to the pot and sauté until softened. Then, add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
- Add Beef, Tomatoes, Beer, and Broth – Add the beef back into the Dutch oven, along with the crushed tomatoes, beer, beef broth, and tomato paste. Stir and season with more Kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, and add the bay leaf.
- Simmer – Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken – In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and cold water. Add the mixture to the pot and stir. Raise heat to medium and allow to rapidly simmer, stirring often, for about 3 minutes.
- Serve – Discard of the bay leaf. Remove from the heat, and serve alongside your favorite chili toppings!
CHILI TOPPINGS
This Texas Chili Recipe is perfect for entertaining. If you’re looking for a fun way to dress up a seriously budget-friendly dish, serve it alongside a topping bar and watch the crowd go wild!
- Shredded Cheddar
- Sliced Jalapeños (fresh or pickled)
- Fritos or Tortilla Chips
- Chopped Green Onions or White Onion (finely diced)
- Sour Cream
- Diced Avocado
5 MORE TEXAS RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Crock-Pot Beans are practically effortless, require no soaking, and take only 10 minutes to prep, yet somehow, yield the most delicious Pinto beans you’ve ever tasted!
- Chicken Fried Steak featuring breaded cube steaks, fried and topped with an easy homemade country gravy.
- Cowboy Steaks are streaked with gorgeous marbling, as juicy as they come, and equipped with a bone that translates into big steak flavor! In fact, they’re almost as impressive before they hit the grill as they are coming off of it.
- Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas made with an authentic enchilada gravy, a flavorful ground beef filling, and melty cheese served in casserole form!
- Homemade Country Gravy is ions better from scratch and you will absolutely taste the difference. Serve it over biscuits, chicken fried steak, and more!
This Texas Chili Recipe is as authentic as they come, straight out of a Texan's kitchen, and it never disappoints. Thick, hearty, and packing tons of flavor.
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground chili beef
- 3 tablespoons chili powder separated
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt separated
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin separated
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of Canola oil
- Yellow Onion diced
- Red Bell Pepper stemmed, seeded and diced
- 2 jalapenos stemmed, seeded and finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup of a full-bodied ale
- 2 cups unsalted beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
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Place an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, or large pot, over medium-high heat, add the ground beef along with the 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of cumin and black pepper. Break apart the meat and sauté for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the cooked beef to a bowl and set aside until ready to use. The beef will be very concentrated in flavor.
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Add the oil to the Dutch oven, along with the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeños. Stir and sauté 5-8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add the beef back into the Dutch oven, along with the crushed tomatoes, beer, beef broth, and tomato paste.
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Stir and season the mixture with 2 1/2 teaspoons of Kosher salt, 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and bay leaf. Stir once more and allow to come to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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In a small bowl, whisk together corn starch and 1 tablespoon cold water. Add mixture to the Dutch oven and stir. Raise heat to medium and allow to rapidly simmer, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Discard of the bay leaf. Remove from the heat, serve alongside optional toppings and enjoy.
This looks awesome. I am going to make this Chili soon even in this hot weather.
Thank you, Earl!
Just a historical comment. Real chili only has beans and other normal stuff. No ale. Chili with meat was originally called Chili Con Carne not Chili. BUT this recipe looks good and I shall try it over the weekend.
I may be wrong. I apologize. I’m from Austin
I completely agree — Texas Chili is absolutely an adaptation of Chili con Carne, and has since become a beast of its own! However, I would have to say Texas Chili is indeed “real chili”…even though it doesn’t have any beans 😉 Thanks for your input, Robert! Here’s a great article from Texas Monthly on the history (if you’re interested)!
Authentic Texas chili Trust me I’m a fat Texan!!
I literally don’t know what’s so good about it…but man, isn’t it?
We have always put beans in our chili, so I can’t wait to make authentic Texas Chili! This will be perfect for game day!
I love to eat chili, and the more cheese on top the better! Thanks for sharing!
OK now this looks like the perfect bowl of chili!! So much flavor with all the best toppings!
That sauce looks so rich and delicious. Super comforting.
This was really good! Such a comforting meal!