Yeah, yeah, before any Texas chili purists chime in, I like my chili with beans, but with this recipe, beans are optional.

This is a recipe that took me years to develop. I don’t know – or care – if it’s competition-worthy, but it’s hearty and delicious. The batch above was made with venison hamburger and venison sausage. But pork or beef or any meat will do – even ground turkey and chicken!

This is a low-and-slow chili that takes about 3 hours to finish, but it’s simple to make, even though it may take some time to cook.

Ingredients

4 large, dried Guajillo chilis
1 yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 lb lean ground meat (85-15 to 90-10)
1/2 lb sausage (preferably something with low sage like Texas breakfast sausage)
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp MSG (optional)
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cans diced tomatoes (I like fire-roasted)
2 cans of beans, drained (optional – I like kidney and black beans)
2 tbsp corn starch slurry
Salt to taste – about 1 tbsp for me, usually
8 oz. beer (I prefer Pilsner or a Lager. IPA are too bold)

1. Rehydrate the dried chilis in 2 cups of warm water
2. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a blender with the garlic
3. Once the chilis are rehydrated (about 1/2 hour to an hour), remove the stems and place in the blender with the onion and garlic.
4. Pour about a cup of the chili water into the blender and blend. You want the consistency to be thick, but not a paste. If it’s too thick, add a bit more chili water.
5. Add all the dry spices to the blender and mix thoroughly.
6. In a medium pot, add some olive oil, then fry up the onion blend over medium heat until aromatic.
7. Add the tomatoes and slurry and mix thoroughly.
8. Add the meat and break it up till there are no large chunks. Stir often.
9. Add the bay leaves.
10. At this point, you can add the beans.
11. Pour in the beer and fold it in thoroughly.
12. Allow the chili to come to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to simmer.
13. Let simmer for an hour and a half, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
14. Uncover, then let simmer without a cover to help thicken. Stir once halfway through.
15. Turn the heat off, cover, and let the chili rest for an hour.
16. Before serving, remove the bay leaves.
17. Serves 6.

Notes

1. This is just a basic recipe, but you can tweak it any way you want. I sometimes add a small can of chopped green chilis to give it an extra kick.
2. It’s even better the next day! I often make it the day before I serve it, let cool down, then pop it in the fridge overnight. All the flavors marry.
3. You can top with chopped onions, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
4. This sounds crazy, but this is great on spaghetti!
5. If you don’t add beans, you might let this simmer partially covered so more water evaporates from the chili.