Texan Chili

One of the best ways to dive into a new culture is to eat. And cook. And as I've discovered, the fascinating thing about America is that there is no "one" culture when it comes to food. Yet it is deep discussions like "who has the best bbq" (Kansas), or "the most authentic chili" (Texas) that forges an invisible bond - whether you are from New York or Arkansas. By the wayside, sport does that too.

Most foodies define "authentic" Texan chili as "the way I grew up", which obviously poses a problem from a research standpoint. The recipe here is one that I've tested and tweaked. The coffee gives it gravitas, and then there are several layers to the flavour. But if you grew up with tomatoes and beans in your chili, then this is not for you. On the other hand, if you like the taste of mole, then you'll probably like this too.

Do leave a comment to tell me what your "secret" ingredient is!

RECIPE: TEXAN CHILI
(Serves 6)
(Cooking time: at least 2 hours)

A - Aromatics 1
4 Dried chilis

B - Aromatics 2
1/3 cup Chili powder
2 tbsp Oregano (some say Mexican oregano)
1 tbsp Cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Ground coriander
1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Allspice
4 Cloves

C - Base
4 strips Bacon
1 White onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced

D - Meat
2 lb Ground beef (some Texans would argue diced beef)

E - Liquid
1 cup Coffee (a smoky roast does well here, to give depth)
1 bottle Beer
2 cups Water

F - Accent
1/3 tablet of Cooking chocolate, grated
Squeeze of lime juice (optional)

A. Cut the head and tails of each chili and slice it lengthwise. Shake out all the seeds. Heat in a small frying pan, dry, until the skin blisters a little. Soak in water for 1/2 hour and drain. Blend with 1-2 tbsp of water in food processor.

B. Mix all the spices together with 3-4 tbsp of water to make a dry paste.

C. Fry the bacon on the frying pan to a crisp. Set aside on some kitchen towels to drain. Add 2 tbsp of the bacon fat into a separate Dutch oven or pot, and fry the onions then garlic till softened. Add (B) and fry till fragrant.

D. Meanwhile, in the frying pan, use the rest of the bacon fat (2 tbsp) to brown the meat. It does not have to be thoroughly cooked, but it should be seared on the outside. Add to Dutch oven when browned, tossing to make sure that the meat is well coated with the aromatics.

E. Add the liquids and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer for 5 hours (at least 2 hrs). You don't want it watery, sort of sludgy (what a terrible way to describe it!).

F. In the last half hour, add the cooking chocolate and season with salt. At this point, taste the chili and add more of your favourite spices to taste. Squeeze some lime juice just before serving, or I like to serve with Doritos lime-flavoured chips instead.