I made Texas "quick" chili, this afternoon. When I say quick, I mean 1.5 hours. My "real" Texas chili simmers ALL afternoon. A slow simmer keeps both versions easy. Don't skimp on this one with mixes or high fat ground beef. Use fresh ingredients, lean meat, and quality spices. Chili feeds a crowd, holds well, reheats well, freezes well, and is economical. Leftovers turn into Chili Mac or Frito Pie. It's a super food.
Are you scratching your head asking why Texas chili is different? Who needs two recipes for it?! The short answer is the slow cook chili uses 3 lbs of chuck roast chunks, extra chilies, and no sausage. The larger, tougher meat is browned and simmered for hours. The faster recipe uses less liquid and flavorful large grind meats. In the quick chili, savory lean sausage makes up for the loss of the rich chuck pieces and shorter simmer.
To entertain with a chili bar, lay out the following for self serve: slow cooked pinto beans, baked potatoes, grated sharp cheddar, diced onion, rice, red chili flakes, diced jalapeño, Frito brand corn chips, sour cream, and fresh corn bread. If there are Yankees in the house, I will boil spaghetti noodles. Since, the fixings for the chili bar can be held in crock pots and platters, you are free to mingle with your guests. One bowl means your guests aren't bound to a table to use knife and forks. Guests wander out to our screened porch during the fall. Freeze left over chili. It's perfect to toss into the cooler for your next camp fire with the gang.
Momma raised my sisters and I to believe a good hostess keeps guests happy. I don't understand the beauty of chili over spaghetti. If a dime's worth of pasta makes you happy. I will boil it for you! I don't drink beer from a bottle, either. Some Texans insist on pairing beer with chili. Heck, some of them cook it into their chili recipes. I don't mind, It saves the margaritas for me!
........Sigh, with these health and diet changes, Neal and I will drink milk or tea. At least our guests will enjoy a frosty beverage! The carb counts are moderate in this recipe. While it is filled with meat, it can be used as a topping and eaten in moderation. It is not a "diet" recipe. Lean meat and careful draining of the meat's fat are secrets to fitting it within a balanced diet.
Did I mention that I clean as I cook? It is a good habit. I am a very messy cook! If I want counter space, I have to rinse and load the dishwasher. See that pic, above? I keep produce bags for the tin container. As I peel and remove seeds from veggies, I place the waste into the container. It keeps me organized and processing those veggies faster. It looks pretty good for an item that cost a buck.
Quick Chili Recipe
Do all of your prep work before you begin browning meat:
Dice 1 very large onion into dime sized chunks.
Wash, remove seeds, and membranes of 1 poblano chili. Dice it into small bits.
Optional, fresh jalapeño diced fine
Mince four fresh cloves of garlic. I use Pampered Chefs gadget. You can bang a knife, peel, and dice finely.
Open 2 cans of quality diced tomatoes
Place a small mixing bowl near stove top.
In a large sauce pan, brown one pound of lean sausage and one pound of lean chuck, large grind over medium heat. (My butcher makes lean sausage for me. He also grinds the chuck.) Jimmy Dean's reduced fat sausage works well.
With slotted spoon remove meat to bowl. Allow any grease to drip back into the pan. Discard all but a tablespoon of meat drippings from pan into empty tomato can. (Were you wondering why you left that empty can on the counter?)
Meat remains in the bowl while veggies are sautéed.
Sauté diced chili(s) on medium heat for five minutes. Add onion and stir well, cook until onions are softened. Stir in garlic and continue to sauté for one minute.
Return meat to sautéed vegetables.
Add two cans of diced tomatoes.
Add two cans of water, using cans from the tomatoes.
Stir well.
Fill one of the tomato cans with water a second time. Place it near stove top.
Allow second, empty tomato can, to sit on counter.
Keep tomato, water, and meat mixture on medium heat until it comes to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Don't cover, you want the liquid to reduce down and concentrate. If chili loses too much liquid or sticks on bottom of pan, check your heat and add a small amount of water.
Skim the top of the chili for any fat that has risen to the top. Place fat in tomato can until it hardens, then throw it away.
Avoid the temptation to spice the chili until the end of it's cooking time. This recipe concentrates flavor as it reduces down to thicken. Remember, this dish uses pan sausage, fresh peppers, and onions which vary in sweetness and heat. It is not unusual to use less of a spice when one of your ingredients is strong. Start with the smaller amount of seasoning, add more if needed. Taste, stir well, taste.... Until the favors are perfect for your family!
Seasonings:
1 tsp cumin
1 to 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of ancho chili powder or smoked Paprika
2 to 3 tablespoons of chili powder
2 to 3 teaspoons of salt
Optional, a pinch of Mexican oregano. I don't use oregano in my personal batches of chili. It's worth a mention because some families love it.
Pic of chili that is ready to be "skimmed" and seasoned. See the small bits on the inside of the pan? It mans chili has thickened; liquid content is lower.
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Location:TX
