History

Chili con carne was first served by the chili queens of San Antonio in the 1880s and codified as a Texas dish by 1893 when Texas State Fair vendors sold bowls for a dime. State legislature declared chili the official Texas state dish in 1977. The Houston tradition holds the original rule of meat-and-chiles only; competition chili across the Texas circuit follows the same rule.

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 40 minTotal 3 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg beef chuck, cubed into 1.5cm pieces (NOT ground)
  • 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin, freshly toasted and ground
  • 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 350ml Mexican lager (Modelo Negra works) or dark beer
  • 500ml beef stock, hot
  • 2 tbsp masa harina (Mexican corn flour), for thickening
  • 30g dark unsweetened chocolate (Mexican Ibarra ideal), finely grated
  • 2 tbsp lard or neutral oil
  • Salt, black pepper
  • To serve: chopped raw white onion, grated sharp cheddar, lime wedges, saltine crackers, sour cream

Method

  1. Toast dried chiles in a dry pan over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant; do not burn or they go bitter.
  2. Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with boiling water, soak 20 minutes until soft. Blend with 200ml of the soaking water until smooth. Press through a sieve to discard skins.
  3. Pat beef cubes dry, season heavily with salt. Heat lard in a heavy Dutch oven and brown beef hard in 3 batches, 5 minutes per batch. Set aside.
  4. Soften onion in the same pot 8 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
  5. Add cumin, oregano, and paprika; toast in the fat 90 seconds.
  6. Return beef to the pot. Pour in the chile puree and stir to coat completely.
  7. Add beer, scrape up the fond, then add stock to barely cover the meat. Bring to a simmer.
  8. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the beef pulls apart with a spoon and the sauce is thick.
  9. Slurry masa harina with 4 tbsp cold water and whisk into the chili. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes more.
  10. Stir in grated chocolate; this is the Texas secret for depth. Taste, adjust salt.
  11. Serve in deep bowls topped with raw onion, cheddar, a lime wedge, and a sleeve of saltines on the side.

Tip from the editors. Cubed chuck (not ground beef) is the dividing line between Texas chili and the rest of America's chili. Use a sharp knife or ask the butcher to cube it for chili. Beans are forbidden by law in Texas chili cookoffs and by tradition at home.

Where to eat texas chili (chili con carne, no beans)

Texas Chili (Chili con Carne, No Beans) in Houston

Goode Company Barbeque ★ 4.3

Texas Barbecue$rice-village-upper-kirby

Goode Company Barbeque on Kirby Drive in Houston is Jim Goode's 1977 mesquite-smoked barbecue room, the city's introduction to commercial Texas barbecue.

Signature: Brisket, Jalapeno pork sausage

Order: Brisket and a jalapeno pork sausage link. Jambalaya. Pecan pie to close.

Tip: Multiple Goode Company locations across Houston exist. The Kirby flagship is the original and the only one with the screened porch.

5109 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098 Book →

Pinkerton's Barbecue (Heights) ★ 4.1

Texas Barbecue$$the-heights

Pinkerton's Barbecue in Houston is Grant Pinkerton's Heights smokehouse on Airline Drive, a Michelin-recognised joint with brisket, smoked turkey and the new.

Signature: Brisket, Smoked turkey

Order: Brisket fatty, smoked turkey, beef ribs when they show up.

Tip: Open Wed to Sun for lunch only. The newer 3801 Farnham Upper Kirby location opened January 2026 and has shorter lines.

1504 Airline Dr, Houston, TX 77009 Book →

Lankford Grocery & Market ★ 4.4

Burgers$

Lankford Grocery & Market in Houston is the 1939 Midtown corner-store-turned-burger-shack on Dennis Street, with the Grim Hatch-chile burger under $15.

Try: The Grim Hatch-chile burger

Tip: Get the Grim with sweet potato fries. Closed weekends. Counter and outdoor picnic tables only.

88 Dennis St, Houston, TX 77006

Killen's Barbecue ★ 4.7

Texas Barbecue$$pearland

Killen's Barbecue in Pearland is Ronnie Killen's smokehouse on East Broadway, a Michelin Bib Gourmand 2025 pick with a Texas beef rib that defined Houston.

Signature: Beef rib, Brisket

Order: The Texas beef rib. Brisket fatty. The creamed corn.

Tip: Lunch only Tuesday through Saturday; sold out by mid-afternoon. The beef rib runs out first; order on entry.

3613 E Broadway St, Pearland, TX 77581 Book →

Truth BBQ ★ 4.8

Texas Barbecue$$the-heights

Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse since 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket regularly ranked on Texas Monthly's Top 50.

Signature: Brisket, Strawberry cake

Order: Brisket fatty. The strawberry cake (the legend of Truth). Pulled pork.

Tip: Wed to Sun lunch only until sold out, usually 2 to 3pm. Get there by 11am for brisket.

110 S Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007 Book →

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