Michael Odom's variation on Dallas County Jailhouse Chili 


-2 lbs chopped beef 
-1 lb chopped pork (note: you can use ground meat, but the texture 
will suffer. The meat will cook a long time, so cheap cuts are preferred) 
-5-6 Tblsp prepared chili powder (note: the use of 5 or so rehydrated 
ancho chiles is a fine variation, and perhaps other dried red pods 
would suit you better--New Mexico, cascabel,, etc. One trick to get 
more and better flavor out of dried chiles is to toast them very 
briefly in a hot oven or even over a gas flame, but take care not to 
burn them even slightly--they'll turn very bitter. After they're 
rehydrated, grind them up in the blender with some water or stock and 
add them to the pot. The idea is to make the stew turn brick red 
because of the chiles, not other red stuff like tomatoes or tomato 
paste or catsup or whatnot.) 
-2-3 Tblsp paprika, as desired to redden the mix, and of course to 
flavor it, too. 
-1 Tblsp cumin seeds (aka cominos) 
-1 Tblsp dried Mexican oregano 
-6-8 garlic cloves, minced 
-salt, as needed (note much chili powder has much salt in it already, 
which is a good argument for using chile pods instead of the blend.) 
-Sugar, as needed to cut any bitterness the chiles might land onto 
your dish. (Note: Often the water from rehydrating dried chiles will 
be bitter. Taste it and discard it if it is. Otherwise, use it in 
the cooking.) 
-Enough beef stock (watch the salt again if it's canned) or water to 
cover the meat. 
-About 2 Tblsp dry masa harina mixed with enough cold water to make 
it a pourable but thick fluid for thickening the chili. If masa is not 
available where you are, corn meal can be substituted. Masa tastes 
better, however. 
-Cayenne can be added to make the chili more picante, if desired. 
Chipotle chiles also would warm up the picante factor as well as add a 
tasty smoke flavor to the chile. 
(Final note: all measurments above are very approximate, but don't be 
chicken about spicing your chili) 


Brown the meat in a large pot, but don't cook it too long or too 
brown. If there's a lot of fat in the pot when the meat is pretty 
well done, drain it off as you are able. Add the spices except the 
salt and the sugar (are they spices?) and cover the meat with stock or 
water. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and slowly 
simmer for about 3-4 hours. Check it now and again to make sure it 
doesn't dry out, adding liquid as necessary. 


When the meat is tender, taste the liquid and adjust the spices as 
needed. This is the time to add salt and sugar if you feel they are 
necessary. When you are satisfied with the taste, make a slurry of the 
masa and cold water and add to the pot, stirring constantly to prevent 
lumping. Cook it another fifteen minutes or so till it thickens 
somewhat. 


Serve the beans on the side, so people can add them as they like to 
their individual bowls of chili. Red kidney beans cooked in stock 
with some cumin and garlic and seasoning meat might be right. In my 
house it is usual to serve the chili with chopped onion and grated 
cheese. Also warm corn tortillas would likely be well received. 


You will notice that this chili is a meat dish. Any vegetables you 
need will be a separate enterprise. A green salad with tomatoes and a 
nice lime vinaigrette would seem apropriate, but that's just me. 


Chili, by the way, makes better leftovers than anything else I know. 
The flavor is much better the second day or even the third. I mention 
this by way of suggesting that it can be made on a weekend when its 
long cooking time might be less of a problem and then served on a 
busier day.