Texas Chili Recipe

Our authentic Texas Chili recipe is beefy, thick, spicy and smokey. This "Bowl o' Red" is hearty and succulent homemade goodness your family will LOVE!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword How Do I Make Texas Chili Recipe, How To Make Texas Chili Recipe, Texas Chili, Texas Chili Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 20

Total Time 1 35

Servings People

Calories 464kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 pounds coarse ground beef, 80/20 or chuck also called chili grind
vegetable oil as needed
2 cups yellow onions chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 heaping tablespoon Better than Bouillon - beef flavor
1 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale beer
1 cup water
2 tablespoons masa

Toppings:

cheddar cheese shredded
sour cream
red onions chopped
jalapeno sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Chili:

In a 6-quart saucepan, over medium-high heat, brown the beef crumbling as it browns, in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Remove the browned meat (2 pounds) to a paper towel-lined plate.
Remove all but 1/4 cup of the fat in the pan, if there's not 1/4 cup fat, add vegetable oil, as needed. Add the onion (2 cups) and cook, on medium, stirring occasionally, until browned and soft, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in garlic (2 tablespoons), chili powder (3 tablespoons), cumin (2 tablespoons), smoked paprika (1 tablespoon), and oregano (1 tablespoon) and cook, stirring constantly so as not to burn the spices, until the spices are fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Return the browned beef to the saucepan and add the salt (2 teaspoons), pepper (2 teaspoons), bay leaves (2), crushed tomatoes (1 can), tomato paste (3 tablespoons), Better than Bouillon (1 heaping tablespoon), 3/4 cup of the amber ale beer and 1/3 a cup of water and simmer 20 minutes.
Add the remaining 3/4 cup of beer, another 2/3 cup of water, and masa (2 tablespoons) and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chili is thick.
Serve with any toppings you like.

Video

Notes

Use coarse-ground beef for the best texture. Coarse-ground beef gives Texas chili that hearty, meaty bite without falling apart as it simmers. It creates a thicker, more satisfying “bowl of red” than finely ground beef, while still cooking evenly and soaking up all that chile-rich flavor.
Bloom the spices before simmering. Letting the chili powder and spices cook briefly in fat before adding liquid wakes up their flavor. This small step makes the chili taste deeper, warmer, and more complex — not flat or dusty.
Simmer low and slow for bold flavor. Texas chili rewards patience. A gentle simmer allows the beef to become tender while the sauce reduces and concentrates, giving you that thick, savory texture Texas chili is known for.
Don’t rush the rest. If you have the time, let the chili cool and rest before serving — or better yet, make it a day ahead. As it sits, the flavors meld and mellow, and the beef releases even more rich, savory flavor into the sauce.

Nutrition