Rojo Lobo Chili

Eight pounds of meat. Beer. Tequila. Six whole jalapeños. This is not your average weeknight chili. Rojo Lobo is a big-batch, cook-all-afternoon pot of red that’s built for feeding a crowd or winning a cookoff.

Beef brisket and pork shoulder cook together in bacon drippings with a wall of aromatics: onions, bell peppers, garlic, and capers (yes, capers in chili, and they work). The beer and tequila deglaze the pot and add a boozy depth that cooks down into something complex and slightly sweet.

Five tablespoons of cumin sounds aggressive, but spread across 8 pounds of meat and 3 hours of simmering, it’s just right. The cumin goes in three stages: with the meat, with the tomatoes, and a final hit right before serving. That last addition keeps the cumin flavor bright on top of the deeper, cooked-down layers.

Masa harina stirred in toward the end thickens the broth into a velvety, spoonable consistency without making it pasty. It’s the same corn flour used for tamales, and it adds a subtle corn sweetness.

Pro Tips

• Use a heavy cast iron pot. Even heat distribution is critical for a 3-hour simmer, and thin pots create hot spots that scorch the bottom.
• Keep the jalapeños whole. They infuse heat into the broth gradually without making the chili overwhelmingly spicy. Fish them out before serving if you want less heat.
• Stir frequently during the last hour. The masa harina and tomato paste make the bottom prone to sticking.
• This chili is even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld overnight.

Variations

• Add a can of drained pinto beans in the last 30 minutes if you’re not a chili purist.
• Swap the tequila for bourbon for a smokier, oakier undertone.
• Use smoked brisket trimmings if you have access to them for an extra layer of smoke flavor.