This chili recipe was a Grand Prize winner at the State Fair of Texas. It’s definitely a classic Texas chili, which in this case is cooked-rich with a nice variety of chiles. If you’ve never rehydrated dried chilis before, here is your opportunity. I find dried ancho chiles at Central Market here in Texas. Notice there is also a lot of chili powder – seven tablespoons! You can customize this chili to your taste with your own favorite chili powder. Or just use Gebhardt’s Chili Powder.
Notice that this is a two-step chili recipe. In the first hour, you cook the cubed beef with the onions and garlic, floating the chiles. This is concentrating the main ingredients. The second step – the second hour – adds the spices and tomato paste. This recipe calls for two tablespoons of salt. I added one tablespoon and tasted at the end to see if it needed more. For my taste, it didn’t. Your mileage may vary.
Grand Prize Chili
- Prep Time: 1 Hour
- Cook Time: 2 Hours
- Total Time: 3 Hours
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Southern
Description
This is a classic Texas-style chili cooked thick with many different chiles.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds rump roast, cubed into small (1/4- to 3/8-inch) pieces
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 dried ancho peppers, seeded and stemmed
- 4 fresh serrano peppers, halved and seeded
- 2 jalapeños, halved and seeded
- 8 ounces (1 cup) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 7 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) beer
Instructions
- Simmer ancho peppers in 3 cups water for 15 minutes. Remove anchos and reserve liquid. Scrape ancho pulp from skin with a spoon or dull knife. Mash pulp well or purée in blender.
- Put meat, onion and garlic in heavy pot or dutch oven and stir, over medium heat, until meat turns gray.
- Add reserved ancho pepper liquid, ancho pulp and tomato sauce. Float serranos and jalapeños on top. Simmer for one hour.
- Remove the pepper pieces, and add remaining ingredients and more water, if necessary. Simmer one additional hour until meat is tender.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need for Grand Prize Chili
Chili Recipes
- How to make chili
Chili 101 by John Raven - How to Make Your Own Chile Powder
- FAQ about Chiles
- Chili Weather
- Texas-style Chili Recipe