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i love this clam chowder.

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Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder

I really do love clam chowder!! Butter, bacon, cream, seasonings, clams? What is there not to love? A loaf of French bread for sopping is the only addition you need, or some saltines. Seriously. Clam Chowder is great for game day, Christmas holidays, or just at home by the fire or at the beach!

Other than a terrific clam chowder I love fried clams. My parents lived in Seattle for a while. When they returned to Texas, every Christmas eve they would have the most delicious clam chowder, fried oysters, likely fried catfish, a southern favorite in Texas, along with lots of boiled shrimp with a delicious red sauce. It’s fascinating how so many of my memories relate to food.

For clam chowder, I usually use a high quality canned clam and purchased clam juice. When I can get fresh clams I will make the chowder with them. This Cento is a favorite of mine. There are may good brands.https://amzn.to/46BOEaP

Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder

The above photos were made with fresh clams. It is delicious either way.

What is clam chowder….

According to Wiki, “Clam chowder is any of several chowder soups containing clams and broth. In addition to clams, common ingredients include diced potatoes, onions, and celery. Other vegetables are not typically used, but small carrot strips or a garnish of parsley might occasionally be added primarily for color. A garnish of bay leaves would add both color and flavor, I used fresh thyme which works beautifully in this chowder.

It is believed that clams were used in chowder because of the relative ease of harvesting them. Clam chowder is usually served with saltine crackers or small, hexagonal oyster crackers.

what are the ingredients?

Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder

what are the ingredients?

  • 6 ounces good quality smoked bacon, cut into 1/2 inch wide pieces
  • 6 tbsp butter, divided
  • 2 cups diced carrots
  • 2 cups chopped, yellow onions
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes (I used Yukon gold, new potatoes would be good also)
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or dried (I used both)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 quart clam juice
  • 2 cups milk or 1 cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups chopped clams
  • Salt pork that has been diced and fried crispy for garnishing or some of the crispy bacon
  • chopped chives

more game day recipes?

Want more game day recipes? Here’s a couple for you! Game Day! The Best Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings https://the2spoons.com/game-day-the-best-franks-redhot-buffalo-wings/.

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings
Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings

Game Day Chicago Italian Beef sandwiches: https://the2spoons.com/game-day-chicago-italian-beef/.

Chicago Italian Beef
Chicago Italian Beef

There’s several more on my blog, just look under the Category “Game Day” or Appetizers.

i love this clam chowder.

Here’s the recipe for this delicious chowder! Enjoy!

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder

What’s not to love! I didn't serve it in a bread bowl like you get in many places in San Francisco because I couldn't find them. Instead I served in a bowl with oyster crackers. A loaf of french bread for sopping would be a great addition.
Print Recipe
CourseAppetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
CuisineAmerican
Keywordchowder, clam chowder, clams, fish, game day food, seafood
Servings6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces good quality smoked bacon, cut into 1/2 inch wide pieces
  • 6 tbsp butter, divided
  • 2 cups diced carrots
  • 2 cups chopped, yellow onions
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes (I used Yukon gold, new potatoes would be good also)
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or dried (I used both)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 quart clam juice
  • 2 cups milk or 1 cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups chopped clams
  • Salt pork that has been diced and fried crispy for garnishing or some of the crispy bacon
  • chopped chives

Instructions

  • If you are using canned clams, drain them, reserving the clam juice and set aside both.
  • Add the bacon and cook slowly so the fat renders and the bacon becomes crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet, reserving the bacon fat. If there is too much bacon fat, pour off all but maybe 2 or 3 tablespoons. Add the butter.
  • When the butter has melted, add the carrot, celery and onions, the thyme and a little salt and pepper. Cook about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook stirring so that it doesn't burn.
  • Add the clam juice and cook on medium low until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened. Add the milk and the heavy cream if using.
  • Add your clams and just heat gently for just a few minutes. Check for salt and pepper.
  • Serve in bowls and top with some of the crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

the best beef stew over creamy polenta.

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Beef Stew
Beef Stew

This beef stew over creamy polenta really is the best. I used short ribs that fell off the bone and their marbling just makes it delicious. The broth is rich mostly because of the short ribs. I use a chuck roast mostly which is very good too, but because I love short ribs so much it occurred to me that I should try this old fashioned beef stew I grew up with using short ribs. If you ever make a basic stew using short ribs, I think it will become your favorite.

Stew is the perfect comfort food in my opinion. I love it year around but especially when it’s cold. I love it with cornbread or just some really fresh saltines and of course big chunks of cheddar cheese. And, a favorite is over polenta. I remember growing up my Dad would make “polenta”. Seriously. It was before polenta was popular. We called it cornmeal mush. Anyway, we’d put the cornmeal mush or polenta in the bottom of the bowl, then add our beef stew! Amazingly Good! That is to this day a favorite way to eat beef stew.

Beef Stew
Beef Stew

No polenta, just the yummy stew with cornbread!

Beef Stew
Beef Stew

making the beef stew.

There’s a couple of steps in this recipe, but they are easy and make such a tremendous difference. I always use a well marbled chuck roast or in this instance I used short ribs. You actually could use a combination of oxtails and beef short ribs. I don’t use the stew meat you see in the store because it seems a little tough and it is really lean. You need the fat to make a delicious and rich broth.

I made the stew in the instant pot to save time in producing a very tender meat whether it is chuck roast or short ribs. Of course, you don’t have to make it in an Instant Pot; however, it will take some time to render the fat and to make a very tender ribs or roast, The ingredients and technique will remain the same without an Instant Pot.

My first step is to salt and pepper the short ribs or roast. If using a roast, I cut it into 1 inch cubes. I then brown them on both sides in a little oil on the normal sauté mode in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop in a heavy pan, medium to medium high. I saute in batches if I’m working with a large portion.

more instructions……

I then remove the meat from the pan and add a roughly choppd onion, carrots, celery and garlic. I cook stirring to release the bits from the bottom allowing the onions to become translucent I add the meat back in, the tomatoes , then I add the beef stock to cover the meat by about two inches, stirring to continue to deglaze the pan. I then add a bay leaf and I add one or two sprigs of fresh thyme. I secure the lid of the instant pot and set the Instant Pot for 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size.

At that point you can do a quick release or allow the Instant Pot to cool on it’s on. I check for salt and pepper and adjust. At this time I add additional carrots and potatoes because in the first cook I was building flavors and bringing the meat to fork tender so I just throw in a couple of carrots in for the flavor. Now I want lots of potatoes and carrots added and cooked until they are tender. I then set the instant pot to 10 minutes.

If you are cooking on your stovetop, cook follow the above steps and cook until the meat is tender. It make take 2 to 2 1/2 hours to become fork tender. At that point, check for seasoning, add the potatoes and carrots and cook until they are tender. Add your carrots about 5 to 10 minutes before potatoes, as it takes longer for carrots to get tender.

Beef Stew
Beef Stew

If you’re serving this without the polenta and want to serve it with cornbread, try my recipe for Southern Cornbread because it is no-fail (I think) and is delicious. Here’s the recipe for it: https://the2spoons.com/southern-cornbread/.

Cornbread
Cornbread
Beef Stew
Beef Stew

Another favorite to have with this stew is my Jalapeno Cornbread! It’s delicious. Loaded with jalapeno, creamed corn and cheddar cheese,s it is the perfect accompaniment so easy, the best jalapeno cornbread.

Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread

If you decide to make polenta, you can make it from cornmeal or you can buy polenta. I have purchased a coarse polenta and I’ve purchased an Instant polenta that seems finely ground. I have a hard time finding polenta in my area so if I order it online. This is what I ordered the last time: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DVIA9AE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This is an Instant Polenta that is good and so fast to make. Because I was having the polenta with the stew I really didn’t want a parmesan cheese element so I just added salt, pepper and butter. So good.

Here’s the yummy recipe for this beef stew. Enjoy!

Beef Stew

beef stew over creamy polenta.

Print Recipe
CourseMain Course
CuisineAmerican
Keywordcold weather meals, comfort food, Easy, instant pot beef stew, old fashioned beef stew, short rib stew, stew,, winter stews
Servings6 servings

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or other Pressure Cooker If not using a instant pot, I would use a Dutch oven or heavy pot.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Beef Short Ribs
  • Enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan
  • 1 Lg onion, quartered
  • 2 Carrots, quartered
  • 2 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 2 Cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands or diced tomatoes if you prefer
  • Beef broth to cover the beef by 2 inches above
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Tbsp Canola oil

Finishing the stew

  • 4-6 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 4-5 Baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks Add more depending on your potato size, you want lots of potatoes and carrots
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Short Ribs

  • Set your Instant Pot mode to sauté or if cooking on the cooktop, heat your pan to medium to medium high. While your pans are heating, salt and pepper the short ribs. Add the oil to your heated pan. Add the short ribs and sear on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  • Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the back into the pot. Add your canned tomatoes to the pot. Add enough beef broth to cover the ribs by about 2 or 3 inches over.
  • Change the setting to the meat/stew mode and set for 45 minutes. When the 45 minutes has completed, quick release the steam. Check the doneness of the short ribs. They should be fork tender, falling off the bones.

To finish the Stew

  • Remove the short ribs from the pan. Remove the bone and cut the meat into large pieces if necessary. Set aside.
  • Add the potatoes and carrots to the broth and other ingredients. If using the pressure cook mode, set for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes, quick release the steam and check to see if your potatoes and carrots are tender. Stove top, add them to your pot and cook until tender.
  • Add your rib meat back in and adjust seasoning! Enjoy!

For the Polenta

  • Cook the polenta according to the package directions. Most recipes call for parmesan cheese. If you don't want the cheese just add salt, pepper and butter.

Comforting, EASY Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

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Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Who doesn’t love Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup? Comfort food at it’s best! This soup is loaded with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, rice macaroni, lentils, frozen beans, corn and fresh spinach.

I used my homemade Beef Broth which was delicious by itself. Here’s the link for the beef Broth: https://the2spoons.com/essential-easy-homemade-beef-bone-stock/. This beef broth was made from roasting bones along with onions, carrots and garlic. I dumped those ingredients into a stick pot, covered with water and cooked for hours.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

When I was making the beef broth, I set the Instant Pot for 2 hours. After the 2 hours I quick released the steam and removed the bones. When they were cool enough to handle, I removed the meat from the bones to use in the soup and returned the bones to cook for an additional 4 hours.

Comforting, EASY Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

I used Mutti tomatoes because they are a great product. Here’s a link if you aren’t familiar. https://amzn.to/2U2h7Fg. These tins of tomatoes are pure tomatoes, with a wonderful flavor. They are actually from Italy. I can find them at my local HEB, but I don’t see them at all grocery stores. They are a little more expensive, but not expensive as other Italian tomatoes I’ve seen.

Comforting, EASY Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Here’s another soup recipe I have on the blog, Italian Wedding Soup is delicious! https://the2spoons.com/beautiful-italian-wedding-soup/.

Italian Wedding Soup
Italian Wedding Soup

Here’s the recipe for this vegetable beef soup! Enjoy

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup in the Instant Pot

Print Recipe
Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course
CuisineAmerican
Keyworddinner, lunch, soup, vegetable beef soup
Servings6 Servings

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp beef fat, olive oil or canola oil
  • 1/2 onion, unpeeled and quartered
  • 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, unpeeled and roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • Beef from a pound or so of beef bones that had been used for making beef broth or leftover short ribs meat or chuck roast
  • 1 1/2 cups Diced tomatoes
  • 6-8 cups beef broth (I used homemade) See the link in my blog
  • 2 medium or 1 large Russet potatoes , diced ( or your choice of potatoes)
  • 1/4 cup long grain or wild rice
  • 1/4 cup small macaroni
  • Handfull of lentils ( optional)
  • 1/2 – 1 cup frozen Lima Beans
  • 1/2 – 1 frozen whole kernel corn or canned
  • 1-2 bay leaf
  • cayenne pepper, optional
  • dash of chili powder, optional
  • couple of hands-full of fresh spinach, optional

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to the Saute mode or heat a large stock pot.
  • Add your oil, the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and saute for a few minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and check for salt and pepper.
  • Set the pot back into the Beef/Stew mode and set for 15 minutes. When complete quick release the steam. Adjust seasonings, add the spinach, combine and serve with crackers or your favorite cornbread!
    If you were using a stock pot, cook until your potatoes and carrots are tender, along with the rice, lentils if you are using and the macaroni. ————

wow! you’ll love this lobster bisque

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Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque

The tomato-based sauce of this lobster bisque is enriched with homemade lobster stock, providing a delightful flavor. It features generous portions of lobster, complemented by a finishing touch of rich heavy cream.

Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque

how to make the lobster stock for this lobster bisque.

A homemade lobster stock is the key to a fantastic bisque. To make the stock I use the shells of cooked lobster with the ingredients listed later in the post. Many times I will cook the lobsters, remove the meat and make a salad for amazing lobster rolls. So amazingly delicious.

Live Lobster
Live Lobster
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt per gallon of water.
  • Place the lobsters head first into the boiling water. Cook the lobsters for 9 minutes or until shells are bright red and the meat is cooked through.
  • Remove the lobsters from the boiling water reserving the water.
  • Allow them to cool enough to handle.

You can remove the meat two ways:

  • If you cooked a whole lobster like I did, cut or gently twisht it off. Loosen the meat from the shell with your fingers and pull the meat out from the shell and set aside. remove the it from the meat, opening the meat away from the shell side walls. Pull the meat up from the bottom of the shell to seperate the shell from the meat underneath it.
  • Alternatively, use both hands to press down on tail to crack shell. Hold tail, shell facing down, and pull back on both sides of shell to crack open and remove meat.
  • Remove the claws, crack them and gently remove the meat. I like to keep the claw meat as whole as possible.
  • Keep all of the shells to use in your broth, along with the water you boiled your lobster.
How to Cook Lobster Perfectly - The Flavor Bender

To make the stock in a dutch oven melt butter, add a little olive oil, then add onion, celery and carrots, leftover lobster shells, garlic, and fresh tomatoes and cook for about an hour. After that you will be ready to start on your bisque!

If you don’t have a dutch oven, this is a good one.

what ingredients do you need for this lobster bisque?

  • lobster meat
  • lobster stock
  • onions
  • tomato paste
  • garlic
  • salt and pepper
  • celery
  • carrots
  • Brandy, Pinot Grigio, Sauv Blanc or Chardonnay
Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque

other soups I think you will love.

Want another seafood soup? This clam chowder is so simple and absolutely delicious! Here’s the link! i love this clam chowder.

Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder

Have some lobster meat leftover? Make some amazing lobster rolls.

Classic Lobster Rolls
Classic Lobster Rolls

Here’s the recipe for the lobster bisque. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know!

Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque

Print Recipe
CourseSoup
CuisineAmerican
Keywordbisque, lobster, lobster bisque, seafood, seafood soups, soup, soups
Servings4 servings

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For Cooking the Lobster

  • 1 1 1/2-2 lb live lobster or 2 lobster tails
  • pot of water
  • 1 tbsp salt per gallon water

For Making the Stock

  • 1/2 onion, diced reserving the other half for the soup
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive ouk
  • reserved lobster shells
  • enough reserved cooking water from lobsters to cover the ingredients by about an inch
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered

For the Bisque

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 6 z can tomato paste
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • a splsh brandy or other alcohol to deglaze like vodka or gin, or a fruity white wine
  • lobster stock
  • 2 tbsp flour for your slurry
  • lemon juice
  • heavy cream
  • the chopped lobster meat

Instructions

To Cook the Lobster

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt per gallon of water.Place the lobsters head first into the boiling water. Cook the lobsters for 9 minutes or until shells are bright red and the meat is cooked through.Remove the lobsters from the boiling water reserving the water.Allow them to cool enough to handle.

To Make the Lobster Stock

  • To make the stock in a dutch oven melt butter, add a little olive oil, then add onion, celery and carrots, leftover lobster shells, garlic, and fresh tomatoes and cook for about an hour. After that you will be ready to start on your bisque!

To Finish the Bisque

  • In a dutch oven, add the olive oil and butter, heat on medium until the buter has melted and sizzling a little. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent, add the garlic and cook about one minute. Add the tomato paste and cook until it carmalizes a little or to develop flavors.
    Add the carrots, the celery, and declaze with the brandy or other alcohol and cook down. Add the lobster stock to hyour tomato mixture. Then, using an emersion blender or a blender, puree to a smothe consistency. Add the flour to a bowl. Then add a couple of ladles of the stock to your flour and combine. Then while whisking, add the slurry to your soup and continue to whisk until there are no lumps. Lower the heat to a simmer. Add salt to taste and add your lemon juice. Add your heavy cream.
    Divide the lobster meat evenly among your bowls. Ladle the soup over the lobster meat. Add a little drizzle of heavy cream if you like.
    Note: If you have enough lobster claws for all of the serving bowls, saute them in a little butter and serve them whole on top of the soup! Bon Appetit.

you will love this brisket stew.

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Brisket Stew

This brisket stew is the best ever! It is rich in flavor partly because of tomato paste and red wine, but the brisket has the right amount of marbling that adds to the richness and flavor.

Brisket Stew

Stews are perfect this time of the year. I actually saw this being prepared on the Today Show and I had to make it. Let’s face it, we Texans love our brisket,

let’s talk brisket.

When I saw this recipe being prepared the chef was using the point. There’s two parts to the brisket, the point and the flat. The point is the most fatty part and the flat has less fat and is thin. I had a flat in my freezer that was very well marbled that I wanted to use and it turned out perfect. Not too much fat but enough to add great flavor.

what’s in this delicious stew?

Other than obvious ingredients, brisket, hearty vegetables, a thickening, seasonings, this dish has:

  • tomato paste
  • sherry vinegar
  • red wine
  • French onion soup mix
  • fresh thyme
  • pearl onions
  • mushrooms

It’s like a bourguignon with a few extra ingredients and we’re using brisket!

and, what to serve alongside?

I served cornbread muffins alongside using my buttermilk cornbread recipe. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out. Southern Cornbread.

Basic Cornbread with Bacon
Basic Cornbread with Bacon

This would be delicious served over polenta or mashed potatoes!

how did i cook this brisket stew?

Because I wanted to develop deep rich flavors I chose to cook this in a Dutch oven. I also used a cast iron Dutch oven that is well seasoned. There are so many great Dutch ovens from the La Cruset to a old cast iron one like mine that was my grandmothers, If you want to purchase one and don’t want to invest in the several hundred dollar type, a Lodge cast iron is a good choice to start and not too expensive, Don’t get me wrong, I love the La Cruset, but it’s pricy. Here’s one at a good price: https://amzn.to/3ANX8NF

the recipe……

This brisket stew is really delicious. Let me know what you think?

Top off this meal with a delicious southern dessert! magnolia bakery banana pudding

Banana Pudding
Banana Pudding
Brisket Stew

Brisket Stew

Print Recipe
Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course
CuisineAmerican
Keywordbeef, beef, stew,, brisket, stew,, winter stews
Servings6

Ingredients

  • l 1/2 lb brisket point , cut into one inch cubes
  • 6 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4.5 oz can tomato paste
  • 2 tbsps sherry vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups red wine
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 packet french onion soup mix
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 14 oz bag frozen pearl onion
  • 2 cups diced carrots
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 8 oz button mushrooms (optional)
  • 1 lb baby red potatoes, cut in half

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, toss the beef brisket cubes with flour, salt and ground black pepper.
    Warm a large Dutch oven with the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until you start to see ripples in the oil. Gently place the floured brisket cubes in the pot, making sure not to overcrowd the Dutch oven to ensure browning, and sear until golden-brown on all sides. Remove the browned brisket from the pot and reserve on a plate. Keep all the remaining fat in the pot to continue cooking with.
    Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the smashed garlic cloves and cook until aromatic and lightly golden, then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute using a wooden spoon to stir into the oil in the pot and gently "fry" the tomato paste to develop its sweetness. Pour in the sherry vinegar and red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot, using the wooden spoon to scape up all the brown bits, and continue to cook the wine until it is reduced by half.
    Once the wine has reduced, return the browned brisket cubes to the Dutch oven and cover the meat with the beef and vegetable broths. Stir in the French onion soup packet and bring the pot to a simmer. Once the pot comes to a simmer, add in the bay leaf and thyme, cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low.
    Cook the stew for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. After cooking for 1½ hours, add in all the remaining vegetables and potatoes, cover and continue to cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes or until all the vegetables and meat are tender.
    Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with crusty bread or ladle over mashed potatoes and enjoy.

No Beans! Essential Texas Brisket Chili

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Texas Brisket Chili This Texas Brisket Chili has "No Beans". That is because we don't eat beans in our chili in Texas. Truth. We do like lots of toppings like cheese, onions, jalapenos, sometimes sour cream and even guacamole. So good!
Texas Brisket Chili

This Texas Brisket Chili has “No Beans”. That is because we don’t eat beans in our chili in Texas. Truth. We do like lots of toppings like cheese, onions, jalapenos, sometimes sour cream and even guacamole. So good!

There are so many dishes we make with our chili. Enchiladas, Chili Cheeseburgers, just a bowl of chili, nachos, chili cheese fries and a topping for a brisket sandwich, you know, brisket on brisket! Oh, yum!

Texas Brisket Chili
Texas Brisket Chili

No Beans! Essential Texas Brisket Chili

My go to meat for chili in the past was “chili meat” which is a large ground beef…I guess like hamburger, but ground large. I still use that, but a while back I started making my Texas Brisket chili with the flat of a whole brisket and it is so good. The flavor of the brisket itself, along with the fat that adds additional flavor combined renders an amazing chili. The flat is the lean end of the brisket, unlike the point, so you’re not having all that fat, just enough to add so much flavor!

Texas Brisket Chili
Texas Brisket Chili

Chili requires either whole dried chilies or a chili powder. I like to use a mild to medium New Mexico Red Chile powder I always have on hand. The last time I purchased was on line from “Made in Mexico”. Here’s a link if you are interested: http://www.madeinnewmexico.com/. I buy mild and medium because they both usually have a little kick. I do have some hot right now, but it is really hot.

Texas Brisket Chili
Texas Brisket Chili

Before I give you this Texas Brisket Chili, here’s a link for a burger I made with this leftover chili!

Crazy Leftover Texas brisket Chili and Beef Queso Dip Burger

No Beans! Essential Texas Brisket Chili

Here’s the recipe! Hope you make this! It is so good!!

Texas Brisket Chili

No Beans! Essential Texas Brisket Chili

Print Recipe
CourseAppetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course, mexican
CuisineMexican
Keywordchili, mexican food, no beans chili, no beans texas brisket chili, Texas Brisket Chili, Texas Chili
Servings6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick cut bacon
  • 3-4 lb the flat of a beef brisket, trimmed and cubed into 1/4 inch pieces
  • salt, pepper and onion powder for liberally sprinkling on the meat while browning
  • 2 cups white onion, small diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 3 1/2-4 tbsp Chili powder ( I use New Mexico red chili powder, if not use a good Texas chili powder)
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano
  • 1 quart beef broth (not heavily salted, or your chili will be too salty. If you use beef bullion cubes, omit the salt in the first step of sprinkling the meat while browning)
  • 1/2 cup strong black coffee
  • 28 oz can whole tomatoes, in juice
  • Garnish with your choice of shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, jalapenos, sour cream, Fritos, avocado, etc.

Instructions

  • For the brisket, clean and trim the brisket. You will only need 3-4 lbs. Cube the brisket into small ¼” cubes.
  • In a large stock pot, cook 4 pieces of bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside until later.
  • Increase the heat to medium high. In the bacon fat, brown the brisket cubes in 3 batches making sure not to crowd the pan. You want to develop as much browning on the cubes as possible and browning in 3 batches will insure that moisture coming from the meat won’t crowd the pan and prohibit the browning process.
  • Season liberally with salt, pepper, and onion powder while browning to season the meat.
  • Remove the previous batch to a bowl before starting on the next batch. You can add additional cooking oil if you need to. Cook all 3 batches and reserve.
  • In the same pot, add the diced white onion and stir in a pinch of salt. Cook down, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits and brown the onion. Reduce the heat if necessary to cook the onion down and slightly caramelize it.
  • Add in all of the spices and stir into the onions. Cook 2 minutes.
  • Add the pressed garlic and stir. Cook 1 minutes.
  • Add the seared meat back into the pan. Add the coffee and 2 c. of the beef broth. Stir well.
  • Open the tomatoes, and using your hands break them up as you add them to the pan. Add tomato juice to the pan.
  • Stir well and crumble in the bacon. Place the lid back on the pot and cook over low-medium (simmer gently) for 2 ½ – 3 hours. Add the additional 2 c. beef broth as necessary.
  • Finish off with fresh tabasco pepper sauce if desired.
  • Top with any and all of the toppings your prefer! Enjoy!