From my cookbook… Dave’s Award-Winning Texas Chili
This is the granddaddy of all chili recipes. A true award winner!
There are over 300 recipes in my recently published cookbook, Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us (Click on the link in Note 1 to get your own copy). Even in these inflationary times, we can prepare delicious meals for our family and do so in a way that does not break the budget. And it’s all in the cookbook!
This is THE chili recipe
Chili chefs, like barbecue chefs, typically closely guard their recipes. Many of these talented chefs compete in competitions across the country. For some of these folks, they are in business, and their chili and barbecue recipes are a competitive advantage that helps them make a living. We all get that. In Oklahoma, where I live, we can get excellent chili and barbecue, and I love to eat both when we travel around the country to compare them.
While I have competed in chili cookoffs in the past, I don’t anymore. And like all of my recipes and indeed everything I’ve developed for Afterburner Success Partners, it is something I want to share with others to make their lives better or more enjoyable..
As you will see in the recipe below, this is THE RECIPE that pretty much was what got me started cooking in 1987. I continued to tweak this recipe until 2024, so that’s 37 years of tinkering to make it better. So I could share it with you!
When I was competing, I learned that whether the judges were professional chili judges or “people’s choice” judges made a big difference. With people’s choice judges, they often did not like spicy or hot chili, and that would hurt you in the competition. That’s why I’ve developed nine chili recipes and won two cook-offs!
Four of my chili recipes are in my cookbook, as is my son Tony’s, which is also quite good. That’s a total of five chili recipes. If you like chili as much as I do, preparing all of these will keep you busy for a while! Tony and I have competed in two chili cookoffs together, and we had a ton of fun!
As you read through this recipe, please take a look at the tips and techniques I provide. This is something I do throughout the cookbook, which is why it is such a great value and will help you improve your cooking results. These are lessons I’ve learned from years of cooking a wide range of foods. Some of the lessons have been learned the hard way—what not to do! All the more reasons to consider the cookbook for holiday gift giving! I hope you enjoy this wonderful dish!
David Giustozzi’s Texas Chili #1
This chili was really my first attempt at meaningful cooking. In the fall of 1987, I had just been hired as an aircraft mechanic at American Airlines, and I went to MD-80 general familiarization training in Dallas (DFW). On the way home, I saw a postcard in the airport labeled “Texas Chili” with a chili recipe. On the bottom, it said, “Texas Red and a Long Neck” and indicated the recipe was from the Lone Star Brewing Company.
Well, I went home and cooked it, and it was good. But I started messing with the recipe to better suit my taste, and this is what I ended up with. I made my last revision in 2008, and it has stayed the same until my final improvement in May 2024. I went on to win a chili cookoff I entered with my son, Tony, in 2006 in Norman, OK, at his church. These were serious chili folks, and I omitted the beans as you typically don’t use beans in competition chili. Make this the day before and reheat for the best flavor. That’s what the restaurants and pros do.
Here are three pro tips for you that took me many years to learn. Cook everything very slowly over low heat. You cannot rush this!! Secondly, do not brown the beef. Using my method will result in finer particles of beef that are not tough. And, if you use 90/10 beef, you will have almost zero fat to skim later. Another pro tip for you. When you cook food low and slow over a long period of time, the food and the cookware continue to increase in temperature, essentially becoming superheated. Unless you have a stove with an extra low setting, you risk scorching the food at the bottom of the pot. (Note: this is why some recipes have you place the stock pot in the oven, for more even heating…) Stirring often can help with this, but it’s really inevitable. If you have a stock pot with a very thin bottom, it can be worse. I used to cook this recipe for 3 hours before adding beans, and would have this problem, even though I have a stock pot with a very thick bottom designed to prevent this. AND, I have an extra low setting on my stove, but did not use it! Should you accidentally scorch your food, resist the urge to scrape up the burned bits stuck on the bottom, as it will cause the whole pot to taste burnt. Simply stir around, leave it there and stop cooking! Clean up later. You are welcome!
Two final hints. I really think chili needs a bit of heat, and the various peppers provide it to this recipe. and greatly improves the flavor. However, I do occasionally make it with no peppers added at all to it so it will remain kid friendly or acceptable to those who don’t like the heat and spice. Just add to your individual serving if you do this. Finally, chili is like pasta sauce in that it is better when refrigerated for a day before serving. Reheat over low heat, being careful not to burn the bottom. Doing this really helps out on the day of the meal.
As you may know, eating chili is like eating barbecue. It’s so filling that you typically eat it at lunch. If you eat it at dinner, it may come back to haunt you at night…Just sayin’
Ingredients
6 tbsp. chili powder, Texas style
1 tsp. salt
4 bay leaves
2 tsp., cumin
1tsp. thyme (leaves preferred, ground OK)
1 tsp. ground sage
2 tsp. dried oregano
1tbsp. cayenne pepper (Note 1)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (Note 1)
2 tsp. black pepper (Note 1)
4 pickled jalapeno peppers, sliced (Note 1)
4 lbs. Ground 90/10 ground beef (Note 2)
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 large yellow onions, minced
1 28 oz and 1 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 6 oz. cans tomato paste
4 cups beef bouillon (Note 3)
2 15.5 oz. cans kidney beans
Directions
In a bowl, combine all of the dry seasonings (Note 4). Add the chopped jalapenos. Prepare bouillon.
In a large stock pot (I use a 12 quart), add a little pure olive oil and the onions.
Slowly sauté the onions until they are translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
Add 1 cup of the bouillon and the beef. Using a food chopper or sturdy whisk, again on low heat, chop the meat and it will slowly crumble and come apart. Add the rest of the broth. When it starts to boil, add the spices and all other ingredients except kidney beans, just bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered 2 hours, stirring occasionally with the lid cracked. Pour off water from lid when stirring.
Add kidney beans and simmer with lid cracked open for 30-45 minutes more. At this point you can cool and refrigerate overnight so the flavors can marry. The next day, reheat.
Stir well and serve piping hot (Note 5) Enjoy!
Save half for leftovers, freeze remaining half for a quick and easy meal or, like I like to do, give leftovers to family and friends.
Notes
All of the peppers are optional, see introduction.
I like to use half venison and half 90/10 ground beef, it’s a really nice combination.
I like Better than Bouillon the best.
For additional flavor, “toast” dry spices in a dry skillet over medium high heat prior to adding to pot.
Serve with grated cheese, pickled jalapeno peppers or slices, chopped white onion for garnish or even Fritos over the top. Serve with Saltine or Club crackers, that’s all you really need.
Dave’s Award Winning Texas Chili
What’s in it for me?
Good eats, that’s what!
Call to Action
Show someone how much you love them by preparing a delicious meal for them. Later, enjoy the time and money you save by relishing your leftovers, either for lunch at work or dinner at home. Take comfort in knowing you are eating healthy food you prepared. All because you made a good decision to follow the recipes and tips in the cookbook I developed just for you.
Besides getting a copy of the cookbook for yourself, it makes an excellent gift for those you love and care for, especially for those with a young family who are looking to save time and money in the kitchen. And learn a few things in the process! What a great idea!
Recommended Resources
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi (Note 1).
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Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ