Shotgun Willie Chili
This recipe prepares a hearty, Texas-style chili using rehydrated dried chiles and slow-simmered browned beef. It features a rich spice blend and develops deep flavor over a long cooking time, resulting in a classic, bean-free chili.
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven or Pot For browning meat and simmering chili
- 1 Medium Saucepan For boiling chiles
- 1 Small Saucepan For steeping oregano
- 1 Fine-mesh Sieve For straining oregano liquid
- 1 Spoon For scraping chile pulp and stirring
Ingredients
Main
- 6 dried New Mexico chiles
- 6 dried pasilla chiles
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon oregano leaves
- 6 pounds chuck cubed or coarse ground
- 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 medium onions finely diced
- Black pepper
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
- 16 tablespoons Texas chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon monosodium glutamate
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 14 garlic cloves crushed- use remaining pulp
- Salt
Instructions
- Remove stems and seeds from pepper pods and boil chile peppers in water for approximately 1 hour, until pulp separates from skin. Scrape pulp from skin, mash into a paste. Use 1 cup of this paste in recipe.
- Place 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and add the oregano. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and steep like tea. Strain, and add the strained liquid to the chili pot.
- In a saute pan, brown the beef, a small batch at a time, in hot oil adding onions and black pepper to each batch. Remove meat to chili pot as it browns. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Notes
1. Properly rehydrating the dried chiles and scraping the pulp is key to getting the deep, earthy flavor base. Don't discard the boiling liquid entirely; a little can help adjust the paste consistency.
2. Browning the beef in small batches ensures good caramelization and prevents the meat from steaming. This builds foundational flavor for the chili.
3. The long 2-hour simmer allows the complex flavors to meld and deepen. Stir occasionally, especially with the thick chile paste, to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, heat) before serving.
2. Browning the beef in small batches ensures good caramelization and prevents the meat from steaming. This builds foundational flavor for the chili.
3. The long 2-hour simmer allows the complex flavors to meld and deepen. Stir occasionally, especially with the thick chile paste, to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, heat) before serving.