TEXAS Jailhouse Chile - No Frijoles

Chile peppers were used in Cervantes's Spain and show up in great ancient cuisines of China, India, Indonesia, Italy, the Caribbean, France, and the Arab states.

Hal John Wimberly, editor and publisher of the Goat Gap Gazette, a Houston newspaper "mainly for chiliheads and their ilk," likes it simple. He says reverently of chili: "I don't know why people screw around with it. It's a marvelous dish if you treat it right, with a few simple ingredients. I mean, look at California cooks, they're likely to throw the whole garden in."

Well, I am from California but my Texan dad taught me good chile sense. I believe the less chile resembles a garden, with the exception of good dried chiles and garlic; the better!

Here is how I like my Chile – The secret to good chile is good chiles! No bottled chile powder in my recipe!

Ancho Chile is produced in Mexico's central region.
Mulato is widely used in enchilada sauces as well as other red chile sauces.


TEXAS Jailhouse Chile

4 pounds chili-grind beef, mostly lean

2 pounds coarsely ground pork

8 Ancho chiles (or 2 Tbs Pure Ancho Chile Powder)

2 Tablespoons Pure Chimayo Red Chile Powder

2 Tablespoons Pure Guajillo Chile (Chile) Pepper Powder

1 Tablespoon Pure Mulato Powder Chile (Chile) Pepper Powder

OR – 6 - 8 dried red chiles (a mixture of the above)

1 teaspoon cumin seed (lightly dry toasted in a pan prior to adding to accentuate the flavor)

6 or more cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon sea salt – or to taste

1 - 8 ounces of tomato sauce

Water as needed

3 tablespoons flour –or as needed - for thickener at end of cooking


Remove seeds and grind whole chiles in molcajete and add cumin with salt to mixture.

Sear the meat in a large skillet until gray in color. Cook in batches or as necessary to retain moisture in meat. Add garlic after meat is browned using care to avoid browing garlic as this causes garlic to be harsh and bitter. Transfer the meat to a chili pot. Stir in the sea salt, powdered chilies, along with the tomato sauce and enough water to cover the meat about 2 inches, mixing well. Let simmer for 2 hours, stirring gently at intervals.

About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, skim off any grease that has risen to the top. Mix the flour with a little water to make it liquid without lumps. Add this mixture to the ingredients in the pot and blend in thoroughly. Adjust salt and seasonings. Unless you are chili hungry at the moment, let the chili remain in the pot overnight, then reheat and serve. Freeze any chili left over.

Serve with sliced or chopped onions, pico de gallo, steaming fresh tortillas, and pinto beans on the side.

Never cook frijoles with chiles and meat. Serve as separate dish.

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Bones Hook, a cook on the Texas range had a prayer that went:

“Lord, God, you know us old cowhands is forgetful. Sometimes, I can't even recollect what happened yesterday. We is forgetful. We just know daylight from dark, summer, fall, winter, and spring. But I sure hope we don't never forget to thank you before we eat a mess of good chili.

We don't know why, in your wisdom, you been so doggone good to us. The heathen Chinese don't have no chili, never. The Frenchmen is left out. The Russians don't know no more about chili than a hog knows about a sidesaddle. Even the Mexicans don't get a good whiff of chili unless they live around here.

Chili-eaters is some of your chosen people, Lord. We don't know why you're so doggone good to us. But, Lord God, don't never think we ain't grateful for this chili we are about to eat. Amen.

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~ I do not eat beef and switch out the beef with turkey and chicken to combine with pork for a “white” chile that is delicious. You would need to be told there is no beef in it. This freezes well.