Chili con carne

Adapted from Margarita Wolleben’s original recipe. Margarita was born and raised in Saltillo, Mexico, and had a variety of great northern Mexican recipes. You can easily increase the heat in this one by adding more chili powder and jalapenos; you can easily temper the heat by cutting back on these two ingredients.

Serves 6-8 – great on a cold, dreary day

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. lean ground meat
    • I prefer to trim and grind my own chuck roast
    • Our daughter substitutes ground turkey, and it has a great flavor
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 6-8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cumin seed, ground in mortar/pestle
    • cumin seed adds a much richer flavor than powder; we add more to the recipe if we want additional richness
  • 1 three-oz. jar Gebhardt’s Chili Powder
    • start with half and then add to taste; about ¾ bottle is perfect for us. Margarita stood firm about Gebhardt’s Chili Powder. We have used different brands over the years, but we have found Gebhardt’s Chili Powder has the best flavor.
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, fresh, seeded and chopped (optional)
    • If you have someone who prefers a milder chili but someone else likes to crank up the heat, leave the jalapeños out and let the individual add heat by serving jalapeños on the side.
  • 3 – 14 1/2 oz. cans tomato sauce
  • 2 – 14 1/2 oz. cans crushed or diced tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large stock pot (at least six quart):

  • Saute´ onion on medium-high heat until tender in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, add garlic and jalapeno peppers and saute´ for about a minute. Add ground meat and brown. Drain grease.
  • Add crushed cumin seed, tomato sauce, tomatoes, salt, pepper and blend. Add 1/2 jar chili powder, blend and check for taste. Add more chili powder to taste. Red chili peppers and powder can be a little bitter at first, and you may need to add additional salt to temper the chili’s taste.
  • Cook 2-3 hours on low heat, stirring often. The longer you simmer the chili, the better the flavor.

Note: In East Texas, some like to add rice to their chili. Growing up, Dad hooked the family on adding hominy grits to our chili, giving it a tamale-like flavor. Both are optional.

If you must have beans, please have them as a side dish. It is un-Texan to add beans to your chili.