Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
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- 2 ounces dried ancho chiles (~3.5 medium dried ancho chiles)
- 1 ounces dried guajillo chiles (~5 n/a guajillo chiles)
- 1/4 ounces dried chiles de árbol (~12 n/a dried chile de árbols)
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp lard
- 2 pounds beef chuck – cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups yellow onion – finely chopped (~2.5 medium yellow onions)
- 5 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp masa harina
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- white onion – finely chopped (for serving)
- corn tortillas – warmed (for serving)
Instructions
1. Remove stems and seeds from the dried ancho chiles, dried guajillo chiles, and dried chiles de árbol. Toast them in a dry Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, 1–2 minutes, then cover with the water and soak off the heat until pliable, about 20 minutes. Lift them from the liquid into a blender with 1 cup of the soaking liquid and blend until very smooth; strain if you like. Set the puree aside and wipe the pot dry.
2. Heat the lard in the same pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef chuck and sear, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8–10 minutes; push the meat to the edges of the pot. Add the yellow onion to the center and cook, stirring, until translucent and lightly golden, 5–7 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and Mexican oregano; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Pour in the chile puree and the beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, 1.5–2 hours.
5. Ladle about 0.25 cup hot liquid from the pot into a small bowl and whisk in the masa harina until smooth, then stir the slurry back into the pot. Simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened and glossy, 10–15 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the kosher salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Let the chili rest 5 minutes.
7. Serve hot, topped with white onion and with corn tortillas alongside.
Chili con carne is a Tex-Mex stew whose name literally means “chili with meat.” Rooted in 19th-century Texas, it was popularized by the San Antonio Chili Queens and later by chili competitions that celebrated a bean-free, chile-forward bowl of red. At its core are chunks of beef simmered in a sauce made from dried chiles, supported by aromatics and warm spices like cumin and Mexican oregano.
While many modern variations add tomatoes or beans, traditional Texas-style chili con carne focuses on dried chile flavor and long-simmered beef, often finished with a touch of masa harina to thicken. The result is rich, savory, and complex, with heat that can be tuned by the selection of chiles. It’s commonly served plain or with chopped onion and warm tortillas on the side, letting the chili itself remain the star.