Texas Red

In chili country, “Texas Red” isn’t just a name. It’s a declaration of principles.

This is chili stripped down to its bones. Beef cubes get browned in rendered suet, a pound at a time, building a deep, crusty fond in the bottom of a heavy kettle. Then comes a full cup of chili powder, crushed cumin seeds, oregano, cayenne, and garlic.

Two quarts of beef stock (veal stock if you’re feeling fancy) turn the whole thing into a deep red braise that simmers for two hours until the meat is spoon-tender and the kitchen smells like a chili cookoff.

Masa harina stirred in at the end thickens the broth into a velvety, clingy sauce with a subtle corn sweetness. Nearly four quarts of pure, uncompromised Texas chili.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the beef in batches, one pound at a time. Crowding the pot drops the temperature and steams the meat instead of searing it. That brown crust is where the flavor lives.
• Render the suet until it’s crisp before adding the beef. The cracklins can stay or go, but that rendered fat gives you a richer, more authentic base than any cooking oil.
• Mix the masa harina with cold water before adding. Dump it in dry and you get lumps. The cold water slurry blends in smoothly and thickens the chili evenly during that final 30-minute simmer.
• Skim the fat after the initial simmer. Two hours of cooking brings a lot of fat to the surface. Skimming keeps the final chili rich without being greasy.