Servings
1
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Beef; preferably a chuck or round, about, (don't use a fancy cut!) (up to 3)
- 1/2 pound The best double-smoked bacon you can find
- 2 large Onions; chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ground cumin; (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Good quality chili powder; (I use Santa Cruz hot, but adjust this for taste) (up to 2)
- 1 tablespoon Paprika; (optional, for color and less heat) (up to 2)
- 2 Cloves garlic; (optional) (up to 4)
- Water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- (taught me by an old friend Ed from Texas, as much a Texas boy as there ever was) In keeping with all good recipes, measurements are pretty on the fly here.
- Cube the beef into bite-sized chunks.
- Dice the bacon.
- Heat a large heavy pot, fry the bacon until almost crisp.
- Scoop it out and set aside (so it won’t get burnt).
- Then fry the meat in the bacon fat until browned on all sides — you may have to do this in batches.
- Scoop out the meat and add to the bacon.
- Saute the onions (and garlic if you’re using it) in the bacon.
- (Those who really get concerned can drain off some of the fat, but it won’t be true Texan at that point.
- ) When it’s soft, throw in the cumin, chile powder, and paprika and cook briefly.
- Return the meat, cover with water and bring it to a boil.
- Taste and add salt, then cover and set it to simmer for a couple of hours.
- Thicken as needed with cornmeal or stale tortillas.
- Serve with sour cream or cottage cheese, diced onions and, of course, beer.
- Like all good chilis this is best made a day in advance and reheated.
- Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V4 #272 by David Cook
- net> on Jan 17, 1998