Chili con Carne

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Quick Bite

Texas chili con carne is a bold, brick-red stew of beef and dried chiles, usually with no beans and no apology. It is spicy, meaty, historic, and one of San Antonio’s great gifts to American food.

History

Chili con carne is deeply tied to San Antonio, where the famous Chili Queens sold bowls of chile con carne and other foods from plaza stands in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These enterprising Tejana vendors helped turn chile with meat into one of Texas’s signature dishes.

The original idea was not a bean-heavy potluck chili. Texas chili traditionally centered on meat, dried chiles, spices, and fat. Beef was common, but older recipes could include pork as well. The dried chiles are the soul of the dish, bringing depth, fruitiness, bitterness, earthiness, and heat.

Chili spread through cook-offs, diners, military foodways, cowboy mythology, and home kitchens. Along the way, the “beans or no beans” argument became part of Texas food identity. For many Texans, chili with beans is not chili con carne; it is something else that may still be tasty but should bring identification.

A great Texas chili should be thick, red-brown, and intensely flavored. The meat should be tender, the chile gravy should be deep and glossy, and the bowl should feel like it has been simmering long enough to develop opinions.

Fun Facts

• San Antonio’s Chili Queens helped make chili con carne famous.
• Texas-style chili usually has no beans.
• Dried chiles, not generic chili powder alone, give the best versions their depth.

Where to Try

Casa Rio San Antonio, Texas
A historic River Walk restaurant where San Antonio’s chile-and-Tex-Mex food history feels close to the surface.

Mi Tierra Café y Panadería San Antonio, Texas
A famous Market Square restaurant open since 1941, surrounded by the same plaza food culture that makes San Antonio chili history meaningful.

Texas chili cook-offs Statewide, Texas
For serious Texas chili culture, cook-offs may be even more revealing than restaurants. This is where no-bean loyalties get loud.

About the Game

This recipe is part of Van Life Challenge, a travel-themed board game from Gray Dog Games where players explore the United States, discover regional foods, and collect memorable experiences along the way.

Each featured food celebrates a real place, a local flavor, and the kind of delicious roadside discovery that makes every trip feel like an adventure.

Recipe

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Home-Cook-Friendly Texas Chili con Carne Serves: 6 Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 2 to 3 hours Difficulty: Medium Style: Texas / San Antonio Chili

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons beef tallow or oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 dried ancho chiles
• 3 dried guajillo chiles
• 2 dried pasilla chiles
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 tablespoon masa harina, optional for thickening
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Prep the chiles: Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles.
2. Toast the chiles: Toast the chiles briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant.
3. Soak: Soak the chiles in hot water for 20 minutes.
4. Blend: Blend the softened chiles with 1 cup soaking liquid until smooth.
5. Season the beef: Season the beef with salt and pepper.
6. Brown the beef: Brown the beef in tallow or oil in batches.
7. Cook the onion: Add the onion and cook until softened.
8. Add aromatics: Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne if using.
9. Build the chili: Stir in the chile puree and beef broth.
10. Simmer: Simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick.
11. Thicken if desired: Stir masa harina with a little water and add during the last 10 minutes if you want a thicker chili.
12. Adjust seasoning: Taste and adjust the salt.

Traditional note: To make it more traditional, skip the beans, use cubed beef, build the sauce from dried chiles, and simmer until the meat is tender. Serve with onions, jalapeños, crackers, or cornbread if you like, but keep the chili itself meat-and-chile focused.

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