By Timothy Fowler

Here’s a chili designed to satisfy Texans and chili eaters that think beans should not appear in a proper chili. You can add tomatoes to the list of things not in Texan chili. This smoldering bowl focuses on transforming diced bear loin or leg into a smoky, heat-packed bite with just a hint of sweetness.

 

The heat comes from six different reconstituted dried chilies: guajillo, cascabel, morita and brown chipotle, ancho, and mulato. Remove the stems and seeds, chop into quarter-inch squares, cover with boiling water, let rest for 30 minutes, then puree into a thick paste. This is my go-to chili flavoring now. You can find these chilis and others at your specialty spice store or your local Latin market.

 

Specific chilis hit receptors on different parts of your tongue (tip, middle and back). What we’re going for with this collection of peppers is to hit your whole tongue in a fully rounded, medium heat kind of way. If your mouth is blistering from chili fire, you’re going to miss the whole point of this dish. I headed for the high side of medium heat while maintaining the depth and deliciousness of a good bowl of chili. But of course, you’re in control. Want more heat? Add more chilis.

 

Sweet, smoky paprika and smoked salt deliver the smoke. Molasses lends a bit of sweet depth. But the point of making chili is to suit yourself. I hope you like mine, but I also hope you tweak it to make it your very own brag-able bowl.

 

Texas Style Bear Chili

Serves 4-6

 

Equipment

 

Skillet

Dutch oven

Wooden spoon

Gram scale

Chef’s knife

Cutting board

Bullet blender (or other suitable spice grinder)

Spatula

 

Ingredients

 

2-3 pounds of diced bear loin or leg

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced about the size of kernel corn

90 grams (3 oz) of fatty bacon ends or 3 slices, chopped

1 tsp of smoked salt

2 tbsp smoked sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tbsp ground or whole coriander

2 tbsp ground or whole cumin

2 heaping tbsp of homemade chili paste (see recipe below)

2 tbsp of molasses

5 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed and chopped fine

1 can of beer (Texan if you can get it)

Grated cheese, fresh jalapeno, and fresh cilantro for garnish

Optional: crusty bread

 

 

Method

 

Make the homemade chili paste by mixing two of each of the following dried peppers: guajillo, cascabel, morita and brown chipotle, ancho, and mulato. Seed and chop the peppers, then cover in hot water. Soak for 30 minutes, then puree everything (you will have some chili paste left over to use in other dishes where you want chili heat).

Boil the kettle.

If you’re using whole coriander and cumin, heat a small skillet over the burner to toast the spices just until you get a wisp of smoke. Immediately pulverize and put aside.

Chop bacon and start it over high heat in the skillet.

Add onions as soon as the bacon starts to crisp, then add the diced meat. Continue on high and brown well.

Add garlic and other spices toward the end of the meat cooking and turn the heat down to medium.

Add chili paste and stir well. Proceed with caution if you want to add more paste—you’ve been warned.

Add the molasses and beer.

Bring to a simmer, check the taste of the chili, and add salt if required.

Put the chili in a dutch oven or similar baking vessel and bake at 325 for 2-3 hours. Check every hour and add water or bear stock if needed to keep the chili nice and moist.

Dish up, garnish with some fresh cilantro and jalapeno, shredded cheese, and a slice of crusty bread.

 

The combination of chilis and the cut, not ground texture of the bear makes this dish. I make more chili paste than required, keep it in the fridge or freezer, and add the paste to everything from fajitas to scrambled eggs. It is even a great addition to mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.