Original San Antone Chili

From the 1979 Philip Morris cookbook – Famous Chili Recipes from Marlboro Country

Chuckwagon cooks from around San Antonio were mighty proud of their chili and mighty set in their ways of puttin’ peppers in and leavin’ beans out. But San Antone Chili sure stuck to your ribs, and even if you liked beans, you didn’t complain. At least where the cook could hear you.

1/2 pound suet
2 pounds lean beef shoulder
1 pound lean pork shoulder
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 onions, choped
6 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 quarts beef stock or canned beef broth
4 dried Ancho peppers
1 dried Pastilla pepper
1 dried Casbel pepper
1 tablespoon crushed cumin seeds or ground cumin

Fry suet in Marlboro Chili Kettle. Remove suet and discard. Cut meat into 1/2 inch cubes. Combine flour, salt and pepper in brown paper bag. Add meat and shake to coat. Save remaining flour. Sear floured meat in hot fat, stirring to prevent sticking. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until soft. Add beef stock or broth and bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer slowly while preparing peppers.

Wash peppers under cold running water; remove stems and seeds. Put in a saucepan; cover with water and boil for 5 minutes. Let steep 10 minutes. Lift out peppers and grind or puree, adding 1 1/2 cups water in which peppers were cooked. Add to meat, cover and simmer 2 -3 hours or until meat is tender. Grind cumin seeds using a mortar and pestle or a heavy spoon in a cup; add to chili. Add salt to taste. Mix flour saved from browning meat (about 1/4 cup) with cold water; add to chili and cook 3 to 5 minutes to thicken. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.

*If these peppers are unavailable, substitute 4 to 6 tablespoons of chili powder.

Suet (/ˈsuː.ɪt/) is raw beef or mutton fat, especially the hard fat found around the loins and kidneys.

Texas Red Chili

From the 1979 Philip Morris cookbook – Famous Chili Recipes from Marlboro Country

Chili pangs” could strike a man whenever the skies got gray and the wind turned cold. A plate of Texas Red was a sure cure. Hot and hearty, it was the kind of chili that warmed a cowhand’s belly and brought him back for more.

1/4 pound suet, finely chopped
6 pounds lean beef, coarsely cubed
1 cup chili powder (about 4 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons crushed cumin seeds or ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground oregano
2 tablespoons salt
1 to 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 quarts beef stock or canned beef broth
1/2 cup masa harina or cornmeal
1/2 cold water

Fry suet in Marlboro Chili Kettle until crisp. Then add beef, about 1 pound at a time and brown, stirring as it cooks. Remove each pound after browning. When all meat is browned, return it to kettle and add seasonings and beef stock or broth. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Skim off fat. Combine masa harina or cornmeal with cold water and stir thoroughly into chili. Simmer 30 minutes. Makes about 3 3/4 quarts.

Suet (/ˈsuː.ɪt/) is raw beef or mutton fat, especially the hard fat found around the loins and kidneys.

Masa is Spanish for dough, but in Mexico it sometimes refers to cornmeal dough (masa de maíz in Spanish). It is used for making tortillas, tamales, pupusas, arepas and many other Latin American dishes. The dried and powdered form is called masa harina; it is reconstituted with water.

Bowl of Red

2 tbsps olive oil
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 lbs boneless chuck, in dice or ground for chili
1/2 cup ground mild red chile, preferably New Mexican
2 tbsps ground cumin
2 tsps dried oregano
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee or 1 tbsp instant coffee powder
3 cups water as needed
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne), optional
2 tbsps cornmeal
Optional garnishes: sour cream, chopped cilantro, grated cheese

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and cook the onion over medium heat until it’s soft. Add the garlic and cook until it’s transparent. Add the meat in several batches along with the chile, cumin, oregano and paprika. Remove each batch to a large bowl as it’s cooked. Stir and cook until the meat is browned, then put all the meat back in the pot and add the vinegar, coffee and enough water just to cover the meat. Add the salt and cayenne and stir well.

Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 2 hours, stirring from time to time. Remove the lid and simmer for a final hour. Skim off any fat on the surface. Add the cornmeal and stir in well. Cook for 15 more minutes and serve hot in deep bowls. Garnish with sour cream, chopped cilantro and grated cheese.

Serves 8

Nutritional info per serving: Protein, 38.6 gms; fat, 64.5 gms; carbohydrate, 6.6 gms.