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beef chili

Texas Beef Chili

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef chili, chili, cornbread
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 5 meals
Calories: 444 kcal
Author: Bobby Parrish

Hearty Texas beef chili served with gluten free skillet cornbread. The beef chili is slow simmered with chunks of brisket that melt in your mouth.

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Ingredients

For the chili:

  • 3 chipotle chiles
  • 3 cloves of garlic peeled
  • 1.5 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 teaspoon cumin
  • Heaping ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 strips bacon roughly chopped
  • 2 pounds brisket or pork shoulder cut in one inch cubes
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 20 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 3 tomatillos
  • 1 Poblano peppers
  • avocado oil
  • 1.5 teaspoon unsweetened cocao powder
  • 1 quart bone broth
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 3/4 cup pork rind breadcrumbs optional

For the cornbread:

  • 1 1/3 cups cornmeal medium grind for polenta
  • 3/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 7 tablespoons plus 1 extra tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 small can of diced Mexican green chiles drained

Instructions

  1. For the chili, soak the chipotle chiles in very hot water for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a blender with 1 cup of the soaking liquid and add the next 6 ingredients. Blend well and set aside. Save any leftover soaking liquid for later.

  2. Pre-heat the broiler to high and peel the outer paper off the tomatillos and place them on a sheet tray with the poblano pepper. Broil for about 10 minutes or until evenly charred on all sides, making sure to turn the poblano and tomatillos. Once the pepper has cooled down, run some cold water over it and remove all the seeds and try to peel away most of the charred skin. Add the poblano and tomatillos to the blender with the chile mixture and blend until smooth.
  3. Pre-heat a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat along with 1 teaspoons of oil and add the bacon. Cook for 7 minutes, or until most of the fat has rendered out, then add the onions along with a ½ teaspoon of salt ad few cracks of pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Use a spoon and transfer onions and bacon to a bowl. Raise the heat to just below high and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Season the brisket with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and cook until brown on all sides, about 7-10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the bacon, onion, and blended chile mixture to the pot along with the canned tomatoes. Add the bone broth, cocao powder, and bring the chili to a low simmer. Place a lid on the pot and cook for 2 hours, stirring a few times. You can also pressure cook on high for 45 minutes, it works great. After 30 minutes, check for seasoning, you will most likely need ½ teaspoon of salt. If the chili gets too thick, just add more water. After 2 hours, take the lid off and check for seasoning. It may need more salt or if the flavor is too acidic, add 1 teaspoon of honey or 2-3 drops of stevia. Use a large spoon or spatula to mash to beef cubes into small pieces, this will help make the chili thicker. If the chili is too thin, add 3/4 cup of pork rind panko, of crush some pork rinds into breadcrumbs and cook for 5 minutes to thicken the chili. Remove the heat from the chili and set aside. Chili will get better the next day!

  4. If using a slow cooker, first cook the onions and bacon in a cast iron pan, then use then same pan to brown the beef. Follow the rest of the instructions and cook for 6-8 hours in your slow cooker.
  5. For the cornbread, Toss a 10-12 inch cast iron pan in the oven and pre-heat at 375 degrees F. For the dry team, add the first 6 ingredients to a large bowl, mix well and set aside. For the wet team, add the almond milk and lemon juice to a large bowl along with the eggs, whisk well. Add 7 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, mix well. If the almond milk is cold, the coconut oil may harden slightly, but don’t worry about it. Pour the wet team on to the dry team and mix well using a spatula. Add the corn and green chiles, mix well until everything is well combined. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes so the cornmeal can soften a bit.
  6. Using an oven mitt, grab the cast iron pan from the oven and add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil and spread well. Add all the batter and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let rest for at least 10 minutes and enjoy!
  7. The chili will keep in the fridge for 5 days and so will the cornbread. You can also freeze the chili and cornbread for 2-3 months. My favorite way to reheat the chili is in a pot over medium heat, If using the microwave, cover the chili with a wet paper towel, and reheat making sure not to heat too long or too hot, or the beef will dry out. I like to reheat the cornbread in a toaster oven or just eat at room temperature.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Macros per serving on chili(makes 5 servings):
444 calories per serving
21.3 grams of fat per serving
47 grams of protein per serving
9.5 grams of carbs per meal
2.4 grams of fiber per meal

Macros per slice of cornbread(makes 8 slices)
294 calories per slice
16.4 grams of fat per slice
34.7 grams of carbs per slice
3.3 grams of protein per slice
2.9 grams of fiber per slice

Nutrition Facts
Texas Beef Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 444 Calories from Fat 192
% Daily Value*
Fat 21.3g33%
Carbohydrates 9.5g3%
Fiber 2.4g10%
Protein 47g94%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.