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Original Dallas Jail House Chili

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Submitted by NancyA

Original Dallas jail house chili, a true Texas bowl of red: all beef, no beans, slow-simmered with chiles, cumin and garlic, then thickened the proper way with masa harina.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

5 hrs

READY

5 hrs

In Texas, chili means one thing: meat and chiles, no beans, no filler. This jail house recipe is a proper bowl of red, four pounds of ground beef cooked down low and slow with garlic, ground chile pods, paprika, and cumin until it’s thick, dark, and serious.

The first move is rendering suet, beef fat, right in the pot. It sounds old-fashioned because it is, and it lays down a richness you can’t fake with vegetable oil. Then the beef and spices cook covered over very low heat for a full four hours, which is where all that deep, melded flavor comes from.

The finish is pure Texas: masa harina, the same corn flour used for tamales, stirred in to thicken the chili and add a faint, earthy corn note.

Forget cornstarch. Masa is how it’s done down here. Add it a little at a time until the chili sits exactly as thick as you like.

Chef Tips

  • Cook it low and slow the whole way through. This is not a chili to rush, and the long simmer is where the flavor lives.
  • Thicken with masa harina, not flour or cornstarch, for the authentic texture and subtle corn flavor.
  • Add the masa gradually and let it cook a few minutes so it doesn’t taste raw or chalky.
  • Hold the salt until the end, since the long cook and the broth concentrate the seasoning.

Variations

  • Use cubed chuck instead of ground beef for a chunkier, old-school chili.
  • Swap suet for beef tallow or oil if suet is hard to source.
  • Serve with chopped onion, shredded cheese, and cornbread (but never, in Texas, beans).

Ingredients

2 473
CUPS ML BEEF SUET *
1 ½ 7.5
TEASPOONS ML RED HOT CHILI PEPPER, DRIED
pods, sweet, ground
4 1.8
POUNDS KG GROUND BEEF
3 3
CLOVES CLOVES GARLIC
crushed
3 710
CUPS ML WATER
1 ½ 23
TABLESPOONS ML PAPRIKA
8 231.2
OUNCES ML/G BEEF STOCK
3 15
TEASPOONS ML CHILI POWDER
4 115.6
OUNCES ML/G TOMATO PASTE *
1 5
TEASPOON ML CUMIN SEED
1 5
TEASPOON ML SALT
1 5
TEASPOON ML WHITE PEPPER
ground

Directions

Add masa harina as needed to thicken the chili as desired.

Melt the suet in a large, heavy skillet or kettle.

Add the ground beef, chopped garlic and seasonings.

Cover.

Cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for 4 hours.

Add the water, broth and tomato paste.

Continue cooking until the stew thickens slightly (about 1 hour).

Add masa harina as needed to thicken the chili as desired.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 705g (24.9 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 1149 57% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 73g 113%
Saturated Fat 28g 138%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 390mg 130%
Sodium 1110mg 46%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Sugars g
Protein 223g
Vitamin A 34% Vitamin C 8%
Calcium 16% Iron 73%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Low Carb
 

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