Texas Red Chili

Name: Texas Red Chili
Yield: feeds 8 to 12
Ingredients: 3 1/2 to 4 pounds beef sirloin or stew meat; Kosher salt; Coarsely ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon corn oil; 1/4 pound bacon, diced; 3 cups chopped onion; 2 cups chopped green pepper; 2 medium jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced; 2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic; 4 cups beef broth or stock (to make your own, see page 169); 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes; 2 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick (2 1/2 to 3 inches long); 2 tablespoons ground ancho chile (see note); 1 tablespoon ground pasilla chile (see note); 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; Juice of 1/2 lime; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; Shredded Cheddar cheese; Chopped red onions

January 24, 2012

Texans like meat, and in Texas, chili is all about meat and spices. We make ours with chunks of sirloin and season it with a blend of ancho chiles, which lend an earthy, sweet, raisin flavor, and pasilla chiles, which give a spicy, deep taste. Our Texas Red Chili is a “wanderin’ special” on our menu, showin’ up every now and then. During deer season in November, we may even make it with venison.

Cooks' Note

Ancho and pasilla chiles can most commonly be found whole and dried (locally in Syracuse at the Hot Shoppe in Armory Square; see Resources, page 174). If<br/>you wind up with whole dried chiles, you’ll need to crisp them up a bit before grinding them yourself. So preheat the oven to 300° and toast the chiles for 3 to 5 minutes, til crisp and dry. Slit the sides and get the seeds out. Break the chiles into pieces and grind in a spice mill or coffee grinder.

Recipe notes

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa

A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans

This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.