A bold, beanless chili of tender beef chunks simmered low and slow in a complex blend of dried chili peppers, cumin, and garlic — no beans, no tomatoes, pure Texas.
Ingredients
3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried chile de arbol
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp masa harina
Salt and pepper
Cayenne to taste
Instructions
1Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant, 2 min. Cover with boiling water, soak 20 min. Blend chiles and soaking liquid into a smooth paste.
2Season beef with salt, pepper, and half the cumin. Brown in oil in a Dutch oven in batches over high heat. Remove.
3Sauté onion 5 min, add garlic and remaining spices, cook 1 min.
4Return beef, add chile paste and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer.
5Cook partially covered for 2-2.5 hours until beef is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
6Stir in masa harina to thicken slightly. Adjust seasoning. Serve in bowls with fixings.
Did You Know?
In Texas chili cook-off competitions, adding beans is grounds for disqualification. Texans are so serious about this that chili was declared the official state dish in 1977.