Texas Red Chili
Big Texas flavors in a pot. Tender diced Sirloin simmers in a smoky guajillo–arbol chile paste with Texas beer and beef broth until melt-in-your-mouth, then is thickened with masa for a hearty, authentic Texas Red Chili. Serve with cheese, green onions, and sour cream for a true comfort-food meal.
Cook Time: 2 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 6
Ingredients: 19
Ingredients
Ingredients
Optional Ingredients
Preparation
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Step 1
Place dried chiles in a medium bowl and pour hot water over the chiles. Cover the bowl and soak chiles for 30-45 minutes.
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Step 2
Drain the chiles discarding the bitter soaking water. Remove the stems and seeds. Place the chiles and fresh water in a food processor or blender. Purée the chiles, adding more water as needed, until a smooth paste. Remove any large pieces of chile skin. Set the chile paste aside.
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Step 3
Preheat a large Dutch oven over MEDIUM-HIGH heat until hot. Add oil and Sirloin and brown 8-10 minutes. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pot. Remove beef; set aside.
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Step 4
Add the onion to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, approximately 4-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
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Step 5
Add cumin, Mexican oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook the spices until fragrant. Return beef to the pot and pour in the chili paste and stir to coat the beef mixture. Add the beer and beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to LOW, cover, and simmer chili for about 2 hours until Sirloin is tender.
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Step 6
Add masa harina to the chili and cook an additional 30 minutes until the chili has thickened.
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Step 7
Add desired toppings and serve.
Nutrition Information
280 Calories
2.6g SAT FAT
32g PROTEIN
2.8 mg IRON
5.6 mg ZINC
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet
Nutrition information per serving: 280 Calories; 75.9 Calories from fat; 8.6 g Total Fat (2.6 g Saturated Fat; 2.8 g Monounsaturated Fat); 79 mg Cholesterol; 673.6 mg Sodium; 13 g Total Carbohydrate; 1.3 g Dietary Fiber; 31.7 g Protein; 2.8 mg Iron; 444.1 mg Potassium; 0.1 mg Thiamin; 0.2 mg Riboflavin; 11.8 mg Niacin (NE); 0.7 mg Vitamin B6; 1.7 mcg Vitamin B12; 5.6 mg Zinc; 34.8 mcg Selenium; 114.4 mg Choline.
The Essential Ingredients
Top Sirloin Steak: A versatile, lean cut that delivers big flavor and tenderness. It’s great for grilling, roasting, and pan-searing. It comes from the upper portion of the Sirloin, so it’s a great balance of leanness and flavor.
Guajillo Chiles: A dried chile with a deep red hue and smoky, medium to hot flavor. It’s commonly used in Mexican dishes or sauces. Soak until rehydrated before use in your recipe. Find it at your local Mexican market or in the spice aisle near other dried chiles.
Beef Broth: A savory liquid made from beef bones, vegetables, beef, and seasonings. It adds depth to soups, sauces, and stews.
Onion: These versatile root veggies bring a sharpness to any dish, without adding too much spice. Onions come in wide varieties, but are most often seen in white, yellow, and red. Onions are a staple of many cuisines and a pillar of classic mirepoix, a soup and sauce base consisting of carrots, onions, and celery.
Garlic: A flavorful bulb that is related to the onion family. It has a strong aroma (that fills your kitchen), a taste that enhances your dish, and is known for its versatility.
Safe Handling Tips:
- Wash hands with soap and water before cooking and always after touching raw meat.
- Separate raw meat from other foods.
- Wash all cutting boards, utensils, and dishes after touching raw meat.
- Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods.
- Wash all produce prior to use.
- Cook steaks and roasts until temperature reaches 145°F for medium rare, as measured by a meat thermometer, allowing to rest for three minutes.
- Cook Ground Beef to 160°F as measured by a meat thermometer.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
For more information on degree of doneness and other cooking tips.
For more information on safe food handling and beef safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why is Top Sirloin the recommended cut for this chili?
Top Sirloin is a fantastic choice because it’s a lean, flavorful cut that holds its own during the slow simmering process. It delivers that rich, classic beefy taste that defines a great bowl of Texas Red, becoming tender and savory as it absorbs all the spices and chiles.
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Can I substitute a different cut of beef?
You certainly can. While Top Sirloin is our go-to for this recipe, a cut like Chuck Roast works as well. Because you are braising it for a couple of hours, the Chuck Roast will break down and become incredibly tender, making it a perfect alternative.
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Can I make this chili ahead of time?
You bet. In fact, many folks argue that chili tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to meld together in the fridge. Just store it in an airtight container, and when you’re ready, reheat it gently on the stovetop—it’s the perfect way to have a delicious meal ready to go.
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I just started following them, but they have the best recipes
Thanks, Jeff! Let us know which ones you decide to make.
I'm from Brownsville Texas & this is the best Chile I have ever made by far.
This is a true Texas, chuckwagon-style chili. No tomatoes. No beans. Just beefy flavor! My husband says it's the best chili he's ever eaten. If you don't have beer on hand, you can use more beef broth.
My wife and I disagree/argue over this recipe. I like my Chili with a little kick to it, she does not. I think this hit the spot for me, but it's a little spicy for her, so we just make two different batches now. We cut back on the chiles on hers. I tried it with Ground Beef once since that's all I had on hand, it was good, but this works well with the diced sirloin, much better in my opinion. We also used Shiner Bock for the Texas Beer. Lot's of flavor!!
This is the superior Texas chili recipe. It is so smooth and has such a good flavor!