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Original Texas-Style Chili

A hearty beef chili with chile pods, spices, and masa harina.

From the Wikibooks Cookbook · 10 ingredients
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Why it works: Oregano and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 983 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

Original Texas-Style Chili

6–8

Ingredients

Directions

Sear and simmer

  1. Sear the beef in a little cooking oil (not lard) until lightly browned.

  2. Add the seared beef, suet, and chile pods to a large iron skillet or pot (at least four quarts) and enough water (the reserved pepper water if you prepared the pods yourself) to keep the meat from burning.

  3. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes.

Add spices and finish

  1. Take the pot off the stove and add the spices and garlic.

  2. Put the pot back on the stove, bring to a boil again, lower heat, and simmer another hour, keeping the lid on as much as possible.

  3. Stir when necessary, but remember that too much stirring will tear the meat.

  4. Add a little more water if anything seems seriously in danger of burning, but as little water as possible.

  5. Take the pot off the stove and skim off all or most of the grease.

  6. Mix in the masa harina, which tightens or thickens the chili con carne and adds a subtle tamale-like flavor.

  7. Simmer about 30 minutes more until the meat is done.

  8. Taste during this time to adjust the seasoning and because a chili cook should do a lot of tasting.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

275Calories
27 gProtein
16 gFat
4 gCarbs

Counts 6 of 9 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 6 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Beef100g cooked250
Cumin1 tsp ground (2.1g)8
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Oregano1 tsp dried (1.8g)5
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Meatnot in our table0
Seednot in our table0
Saucenot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Oregano + cumintop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together983 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  2. Cumin + garlictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,082 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  3. Oregano + garlictop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,756 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  4. Oregano + peppertop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,449 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  5. Cumin + peppertop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together4,382 recipes

    Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Beef
Provides the meat that becomes tender during long simmering and carries the chili's savory flavor.
Beef kidney suet
Adds richness and fat that carries flavor and gives the meat a silky mouthfeel.
Chile pods
Supply the main chile flavor, color, and body to the sauce as they simmer.
Masa harina
Thickens the chili as it simmers and adds a subtle corn flavor.
Garlic cloves
Adds pungent aroma that mellows and deepens during long simmering.
Cumin seeds
Contribute warm, earthy aroma that defines the chili's spice profile.

The step that matters

Stirring the meat. Excess stirring tears apart the meat fibers, leaving a mushy texture instead of tender, distinct pieces. Gentle handling and a covered, low simmer keep the meat intact while it cooks.

Swap the garlic

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, oregano, cumin, pepper, sauce):

  1. Turmericfits better
  2. Rosemaryfits better
  3. Corianderfits about as well
  4. Garlicthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against beef, oregano, cumin, pepper, sauce. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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