"Era" Real Texas Beef Chili

Texas beef chili with dark mole is a bold and flavorful twist on a classic beef chili, combining the hearty richness of traditional Texas chili with the deep, complex notes of Mexican mole.

This fusion of smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors creates the best chili recipe that’s both familiar and exotic, perfect for those who love a dish with layers of depth and warmth.

Whether you’re hosting a casual gathering or simply craving something comforting and unique, this Texas beef chili with dark mole is sure to impress with its rich taste and robust character.

Tender chunks of beef enveloped in a deep, spicy and smoky sauce with absolutely NO BEANS for the most comforting of real Texas chili!

Related Chili Posts:

• Venison Chili
• Bison Chili
• Beef Brisket Chili

I’m a Texan through and through, so when I started cooking, two of the first things I learned to master were the low and slow art of smoked brisket and Texas red chili. Follow my tips and steps for a nice pot of “Texas Red” and I promise you will elevate your chili game making hearty, flavorful, and comforting chili.

This is actually an award-winning beef chili recipe, as it once earned me the title of Chili King of Chicago and for proof check this Timeout Magazine Chili Cook-off write-up.

Beats and Eats (Musical Inspiration For Texas Chili Recipe)

This recipe includes a few ingredients that are atypical of a chili recipe, but I'm feeling like we're in a new era where you can honor tradition while challenging convention a lil bit. PRyme's song "Era" puts me in that frame of mind. Checkout the link below to sample the song.

PRhyme's song "Era" pairs so well with Texas beef chili because both are bold, intense, and unapologetically strong.

"Era" features Royce da 5'9" and DJ Premier delivering sharp, powerful lyrics over hard-hitting beats. The song’s intensity grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Texas beef chili is all about bold, robust flavors, with rich spices and tender, slow-cooked beef that creates a deep, satisfying taste. Like the song, the chili is strong and memorable.

PRhyme's music is raw and authentic, with no frills or compromises. "Era" embodies this spirit with its gritty production and lyrical depth. Texas beef chili is similarly straightforward—no beans, just meat, spices, and a focus on quality. It’s a dish that sticks to tradition and doesn’t compromise on flavor.

The lyrics of "Era" dive deep into themes of legacy, struggle, and resilience, offering layers of meaning and thought-provoking content. Texas beef chili, with its slow-cooked richness, also has depth. Each spoonful offers layers of flavor, from the smoky heat of the chilies to the tender, juicy beef.

What Makes This Chili Texan?

A few ground rules first and foremost; no matter what era you are from or are living in, Texas chili means steak chili with no frickin beans. There is nothing worse than seeing a post for Texas-style chili and noticing the recipe calls for beans. It's like finding out the Humpty Hump and Shock G were the same person or that Milli Vanilli were lip syncers.

Once beans enter the picture the dish becomes bean + something else, as in beans with ground beef or beans with stewed vegetables. Well not quite the same since Milli Vanilli were wack regardless, but you get more point, no fricking beans. Real Texas chili is also beef. Nothing against pork, chicken, or squash, but in Texas we all about that beef.

Please, whatever you do don't ever serve any self-respecting Texas chili with beans and no beef. That's just downright offensive. Leave out the beans, and for that matter skimp on all vegetables to make more room for beef. Gravy, beef, and chilis are all you need.

More often than not the beef of choice is cut up pieces of steak rather than ground beef.

Texas Chili Recipe Ingredients

The key to this chili is using a good mix of dried, fresh, and ground chilis. It gets a good beefy boost from the chuck and broth. Dark chocolate and a dark beer provide depth. What should stand out in the image is the fact that Texas chili is really beef, chilis, and gravy. Besides the onions and garlic, there are no crazy vegetables.

Ingredients

• Dried ancho chiles
• Dried guajillo chiles
• Dried pasilla chiles
• Chipotle chilis in adoba sauce use sauce only
• Bacon
• Boneless beef chuck
• Poblano pepper
• Jalapeno peppers
• Chili powder
• Yellow onion
• Garlic cloves - minced garlic preferred to garlic powder
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Ground cumin
• Ground coriander
• Cayenne pepper - optional
• Dark lager beer
• Beef broth
• Bay leaf
• Dried oregano
• Dark chocolate bar
• Cider vinegar
• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato paste - provides that rich tomato flavor. I prefer over other tomato flavor sources like tomato sauce.

How To Make Easy Chili Recipe (Step by Step)

Step 1: Make chili powder seasoning mix

Mix all the dried spices (chili powder cumin, salt, pepper, coriander, oregano, chili powder) in a bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Make the chili puree

Toast the chilis in a skillet first

Rehydrate the chilis by soaking them in hot water. You may need to put a small saucer on top to weight the chilis down.

Add the garlic, rehydrated chilis, and chipotles to a blender. Puree using some of the soaking liquid.

Step 3: Saute

Cook the bacon in a skillet. Remove, leaving grease behind, and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Add beef chunks seasoned with salt and pepper and brown on all in the bacon grease. Be sure not to crowd the pot, cooking in batches if necessary. Transfer browned beef to a paper towel lined bowl.

Lower the heat to medium and add more oil if necessary. Saute the onions for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the fresh peppers and about a ¼ of the spice mix cooking for 2 minutes. For extra flavor, consider adding a splash of hot sauce during the sautéing process.

Step 4: Make the red chili gravy

Add the beer to the pot and deglaze. Cook long enough to reduce the beer by ? - ½

Reduce the heat, add the chili puree and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring as necessary, about 15 minutes. Add ½ the remaining spice mixture.

Add bay leaves and beef broth. Mix in well.

Step 5: Cook the chile

Add the beef back to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until meat is tender and broth is thickened, about 2-3 hours. Add the chocolate last 15 minutes of cooking. Add the vinegar before serving. Add more seasoning if necessary. Allow the chili to sit at least an hour and up to overnight to allow the flavors to meld. Serve with your preferred toppings - green onion, cheese, sour cream, etc.

What To Serve With Beef Chili

Texas beef chili pairs well with a variety of sides that complement its rich, hearty flavors. Here are some classic options:

1. cornbread: A sweet or savory cornbread provides a perfect contrast to the spicy, meaty chili.
2. Tortilla Chips: Crispy tortilla chips are great for scooping up the chili or adding a crunchy texture.
3. Coleslaw: A tangy, creamy coleslaw balances the heat of the chili with a refreshing crunch.
4. Pickled Jalapeños: For an extra kick, pickled jalapeños add a tangy, spicy bite.
5. Avocado or Guacamole: Creamy avocado slices or guacamole cool down the spice and add richness.

Additionally, topping your chili with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream enhances the flavor and richness, making the dish more hearty and satisfying.

What Are Good Substitutes for Beef Steak

Technically if we're not going to use beef then we can't call it Texas chili; it's Texas chili - ish! In all seriousness, you prefer chili with no beef, I would substitute ground beef or ground turkey in this recipe. You'll also have to use a different stock (chicken or vegetable).

The depth of flavor and complexity will all still be there, but you may have to add a little extra seasoning to the ground beef before cooking it since turkey tends to be a bit more bland.

What Are Good Classic Chili Recipe Toppings

I think you'll find that this chili can stand alone, but certainly feel free to add any of your favorite toppings. I recommend the usual suspects:

• Green onions
• Diced red onions
• Shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterrey Jack)
• Fritos for that crunch
• Sour Cream
• Pickled Jalapenos

What Type of Chilis Should I Use To Make An Authentic Texas Chili

Everyone has their own secret and favorite seasonings for chili. When it comes to the actual chilis you see more similarities with most people focusing in on only a few. This is where I differ. I use about 7 different chili types across fresh, dried, and ground variations.

Fresh Chilis

For fresh chilis I go with the green trio of serrano, poblano, and jalapeno. Serrano packs the most heat followed by jalapenos and poblano, but don't fret over the heat as you can remove the seeds and veins to make them all mild. This is actually my preference as doing so puts you on the path to experiencing the flavor without having your mouth on fire and just experiencing the heat.

Dried Chilis

My version of chili incorporates a mole approach common in certain Mexican cuisines. Moles utilize chilis that have been dried and preserved. This process gives them all kinds of flavor characteristics including smoky, nutty, fruity, etc. Because of this I add a few different ones to get an even more dynamic flavor. My go to are the ones I find readily available in most grocery stores (Hispanic aisle):

Ancho - dried poblano; Flavor is rich and complex flavor which I'd describe as sweet and earthy, and

Guijillio - Mild heat, subtle in flavor and more fruity than sweet. They are bright red which give the chili a distinct red color

Pasilla - Dark black chili that is very fruity almost raisin-like. It's fairly mild as well. It has a soft texture and when paired with ancho chilis give a bit of thickness to the dish

To use them you'll have to rehydrate them by allowing them to sit in hot water. You can then remove the seeds before pureeing them in your blender to get them to a sauce-like consistency. You'll then add them to your chili as almost like a tomato sauce

Ground Chilis

Most people just use commercial chili powder which is often a blend of several different spices and chilis. Feel free to do the same in this recipe. However, if you want to create your own "secret spice mix" use individual ground chilis.

Many local spice shops offer a variety, but if you don't have the luxury of having one nearby check the bulk spice section of your grocery store or shop online - Pendery's, Penzy's, Spice House, etc. are all great options. Some of my favorite ground chilis include morita (very smoky), chipotle (also smoky), and New Mexico.

Can You Make This Recipe Ahead of Time

As with many slow cook type recipes (stews and soups), time is your friend. The chili will actually taste better after a day/night of sitting. All those flavors will come together in an impressive display of balance. This chili will be great served the day of, but it’s actually better the next day in my opinion.

Leftover chili can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for up to three months. You can repurpose it into chili nachos, chili cheese fries, or even a chili-stuffed baked potato.

For The Best Chili Recipe Try These Cooking Tips

Real Texas beef chili is bold, intense, and complex in flavor. To achieve such a profile there are a few considerations:

1. For extra depth of flavor, take remove the fat from the beef chuck and fry it first. Then brown the beef in it as well as saute your vegetables
2. Season and season often. It's not how much you add but when and how. Season as you saute the garlic and onions, season as you cook down the beer, season as you gently simmer the chili. This approach ensures full-flavored and balanced chili.
3. Taste as you go and adjust seasoning as necessary.
4. Brown the beef first! This is the first order of cooking as it intensifies the flavor and adds to the texture.
5. Give your dish some heat from multiple ingredients other than chili powder. Use a combination of ground, dried, and fresh chilis. This approach yields flavor, aroma, color, and texture. Fresh chilis like jalapenos or poblanos will add freshness and brightness, fresh spiciness, while the chipotles in adobo sauce give the chili that smokiness. Similarly the dried chili paste adds complexity and depth of flavor.
6. Control the heat by moderating seeds in the dried chilis
7. Use a dark beer to deglaze the pan and add more flavor complexity.
8. Simmer the chili for at least an hour and a half. This will allow the beef to become tender and allows all the flavor contributors to meld.
9. Add some acidity from a slice of lime or cider vinegar at the end of cooking. This will open the chili up and release much of the flavor.
10. If you can swing it, make the chili a day early and let the dish marinate overnight. The chili will be that much better for it.
11. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Made need some brown sugar sweetness to balance thing out against the chilis.
12. Choose the right cut of beef. Most recipes call for ground beef, which I love, but this recipe is more about chunks of tender beef. For this chuck roast is the beef of choice. Avoid anything that is labeled Stew meat or similar lean cuts as they will likely never get tender. It's okay to remove any large flaps of fat, but don't skew so far. The key is just to give it enough time for the beef to slowly cook to tenderness.
13. NO beans - no pinto beans, no kidney beans, no white beans, etc.

MORE BEEF BASED RECIPES

Coffee Rubbed Hanger Steak

Smoked Jerk Beef Oxtails

Nigerian Beef Suya

Braised Beef Neck Bones

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Haitian Soup Joumou (Beef & Pumpkin)

MAKE THIS CLASSIC CHILI RECIPE

Make this authentic Texas chili today! If you make it, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

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