Recipes

Woody DeSilva’s Championship Chili

  • Serves

    serves 6

Texas chili doesn't get any better than this fiery-hot version.

Ingredients

  • 4 lb. beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1⁄2" cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 tbsp. canola oil
  • 5 medium onions, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
  • 4 tbsp. dried oregano
  • 3 tbsp. chili powder
  • 4 tsp. ground chile pequín or cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp. sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp. Tabasco
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 4 tbsp. masa harina

Instructions

Step 1

Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 6-qt. pot over high heat. Working in 4 batches, brown beef, about 3 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate.

Step 2

Add onions and garlic; cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Return beef to pot; stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping bottom of pot with a wooden spoon, until tomato paste is caramelized, about 12 minutes. Add oregano, chili powder, chile pequín, paprika, Tabasco, and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

Step 3

Add 5 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Stir in masa harina; season with salt. Simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

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