Spicy Southwestern Chili

This is chili the Texas way: no beans, no ground beef, just chunks of sirloin and a serious dose of chiles. If you like your chili to fight back, you’ve found it.

Cutting the beef into pieces rather than grinding it gives the chili a meatier, more satisfying chew, and browning it in batches is key. Crowd the pan and the meat steams gray; sear it in stages and you build the deep, caramelized flavor that defines a great chili.

The heat is layered, not one-note. Red chile powder and earthy pasilla chile powder bring smoky depth, cumin and oregano add warmth, and red pepper flakes, cayenne, and hot sauce stack up the burn.

A splash of vinegar brightens and balances all that richness, keeping the chili from tasting flat.

Then it just needs time. A low, slow couple of hours melts the sirloin tender and marries the spices. Serve it hot, with cornbread or over rice, and offer cheese, onions, and sour cream to cool the fire.

Pro Tips

• Brown the beef in batches; crowding the pot steams the meat instead of searing it.
• Taste and adjust the heat carefully, since the red pepper flakes and cayenne build over the long simmer.
• Like most chili, it’s even better the next day once the flavors settle.

Variations

• Add beans if you like, even though traditional Texas chili leaves them out.
• Use chuck roast in place of sirloin for a richer, more economical pot.
• Stir in a square of dark chocolate or a little masa near the end for body and depth.