Pork Texas Chili
At The Oasis, global headquarters of the Galley of the Sun, most every Sunday we hold “Sunday Family Dinner” with 10-20 of our closest friends. Earlier this year we had made “Meaty Texas Cili” at that dinner and was a huge hit. That got me to thinking…could we do a pork only chili and make it just as good, or better?Pork Texas Chili was a smashing success!
Things to know:
How is Texas Chili made?
Texas chili is a “no-bean” chili, made by slowly simmering tender chunks of beef with a rich sauce derived from rehydrated and puréed dried chiles, such as ancho and guajillo (we HIGHLY recommend mulatto chiles be part of the mix!), along with spices, onions, and garlic. The chili is thickened with masa harina (corn flour) and develops a deep, complex flavor as it simmers for several hours until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens into a gravy-like consistency.
What are the characteristics of Texas Chili?
The use of dried chiles, a good amount of meat, no beans, and often no tomatoes (though we add them).
When was Texas chili first made?
As with most food items, the origins of Texas chili is debated. Most agree that Texas chili originated in San Antonio in the mid 1860’s and was served through “Chili Queens” cooking stands. The meal was popular on cattle drives as “chili bricks” were taken on the road. The “chili bricks” were made by pounding together dried beef, spices and chilies into dense blocks which were rehydrated and boiled at campfires.
What variations of Texas chili are there?
The most common is beef chili which contains quality beef and dried chili peppers. Chili con carne is basically beef Texas chili with tomatoes and other ingredients producing a richer flavor. A vegetarian version replaces the meat with veggies and beans. Then of course is Pork Texas Chili!
Ingredients:
1.5 lb skinless pork belly
your favorite pork belly rub (we used Cattleman’s Grill Steakhouse rub)
2 lbs pork smoked sausage, cut into poker chip sized slices
8 slices of crispy bacon (we dredged ours in flour, then chucked then into a 400F oven for 20 minutes, or until desired crispiness)
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 pound tasso ham
2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
4 mulatto chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 T bacon grease
2 sweet onions, finely diced
1 cup fire roasted Hatch Green Chiles, finely diced
vegetable oil as needed
1/4 cup garlic, minced
2 T ground cumin
1 T smoked paprika
1 T Spiceology & Hell’s Kitchen – Vampire Killer – Garlic Parmesan Spice Blend
1 T Mexican oregano
2 t salt
2 t black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 T tomato paste
4 cups beef stock
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups chipotle stock
2 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale beer
4 T masa
Toppings:
cheddar cheese shredded
sour cream
red onions chopped
jalapeno sliced
1. Generously season your pork belly with your favorite rub, then chuck it into a 250F smoker until the internal temperature reaches 195F (about 3 – 3.5 ish hours).
2. Allow the pork belly to cool (we did ours the night before then chucked it in the fridge), then cut it into just less than bite sized pieces and set aside.
3. On chili day, first brown the pork sausage in a skillet over medium high heat, cooking it until all the pink is gone (about 10 -15 minutes). Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lines baking sheet to remove any excess grease with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat behind in the skillet.
4. Add the bacon grease to the skillet over medium high heat. Toast the chiles until they puff up and become fragrant, then transfer to a blender with just enough boiling hot water to cover them. Set aside.
5. In the same skillet, brown the smoked sausage and tasso ham in batches, crisping them up. This will take about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the cooked meat to a paper towel lined baking sheet (unless you think you have a plate large enough to contain 4 pounds of meat!) with a slotted spoon, leaving about a quarter cup of the juices behind.
6. Add the onions to the skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes until they are translucent, stir in the fire roasted Hatch green chiles, then remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
7. Blend the chiles in the blender until smooth.
8. In a large stockpot on medium high heat, add all of the pork, onions/Hatch green chiles and blended chile paste. Stir to combine.
9. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Once the garlic becomes fragrant, add all of your spices and bay leaves, then stir to mix.
10. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine.
11. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and bring your chili to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring every 10 minutes or so and allow for simmer for 2 hours.
12. Serve with your favorite toppings and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Lodge 13.25” Cast Iron Skillet
HOMICHEF LARGE STOCK POT 24 Quart With Lid
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