“Chili is the ultimate comfort food, like a warm hug on a chilly day.”
Best Texas Chili
Chili is the official state dish of Texas. Although considered a cold-weather favorite, it is a year round staple for millions of Texans. Many folks make their chili from scratch and I respect them for that … I, on the other hand, am a lazy cook and I prefer to use a dry mix that is acknowledged as being one of the best in Texas. Albert Agnor's Championship Chili Mix makes it simple to prepare and cook a rich, pleasing bowl of hot chili that is always a crowd pleaser.
I met Albert Agnor when I was a youngster and I remember enjoying his chili when I was in high school. While away at college I regularly used to receive bulk size packages of Agnor’s mix in boxes labeled Aggie Care Package … I can’t tell you how many starving college students were fed on that chili we cooked in popcorn poppers in our dorm room.
On the advice and approval of Albert Agnor himself, I make my chili a little different from the package label instructions … instead of water, I use a can of light beer as it adds more body to the chili. I’m kind of wimpy when it comes to spicy food so my chili might be a bit mild for some. If preferred, you can add hot sauce, sliced jalapenos, chopped onions, chilies, Cilantro, etc. Although considered to be blasphemous in Texas, some people (definitely not me or my family) add beans to their chili.
I like to eat my chili in a bowl mixed with corn chips and shredded sharp cheddar cheese and maybe a dollop of sour cream. Crushed saltines are a good substitute for chips. Chili can be served atop most any food … hamburgers, hot dogs, spaghetti, rice, hot tamales, enchiladas, and the list goes on and on ….
Ingredients
Instructions
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Assemble the ingredients including a medium size slow cooker, a medium size mixing bowl and a large skillet.
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Brown the lean ground meat in the skillet, drain the liquid and transfer the browned meat to the slow cooker ceramic insert.
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In the mixing bowl, combine the dry chili mix, the beer and the tomatoes. Stir well.
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Pour the contents of the bowl over the browned meat and stir until well combined.
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Now that all the ingredients are well combined, decide if you wish to cook immediately or delay until the next day or so. If immediate cooking is desired, move to step 7; if you desire to wait a day or so, move to step 6.
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Place the covered slow cooker ceramic insert in the refrigerator where it can be kept up to three days before cooking.
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To begin cooking the chili, place the ceramic insert into the housing of the slow cooker. Set the temperature to the Low setting and cook for 5 to 7 hours stirring occasionally. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and enjoy.
Serving Size 1 cup
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 301kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11g17%
- Saturated Fat 5g25%
- Cholesterol 111mg37%
- Sodium 259mg11%
- Potassium 368mg11%
- Total Carbohydrate 16g6%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 5g
- Protein 34g68%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
About the lean ground meat ... I suggest you consider beef, venison, bison, turkey or chicken. I typically use venison (as long as it is available) with a slight mix of lean beef (i.e. 90% venison, 10% beef). Although expensive, ground bison is very tasty.
All the alcohol in the beer cooks away so don’t worry about it. Although it won’t have the same body, you can substitute water for the beer. If you are in a hurry, you can cook this recipe in a large soup pot on the stove top at a steady low simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or on the high setting in the Crock Pot for about 3 hours.
Agnor Chili Mix might be a little difficult to find in some areas. You can CLICK HERE to order it online from the Agnor farm; it is also available on Amazon. If you are in dire straights, there are several packaged mixes that are almost, but not quite as good as Agnor’s … there’s Carroll Shelby’s, Wick Fowler’s, and Williams.
