Wick Fowler's Authentic Texas Chili - Best Chili in Texas!

OneEyeJack's Note:

We all want to brag and say, "this is the best chili" I ever ate; but after 50 plus years of trying and searching different chili recipes this is the best I found for me. Try this first before adding "all" of the packets supplied and then add the "hot" for your own taste.. Don't use the RED PEPPER the first time, I like to use an extra onion, bell pepper, and a can of diced tomatos drained. This is at the bottom of the directions. After you go down this road the first time, heat it up to your likes the next time, but at least this way you have a base line to work from, I'm still on the base line. Try it, see what you think.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 6-8

Yield: 1.0 qt

• 2 lbs ground beef (I like chili grind or cubed chuck roast)
• 46 ounces tomato juice, Campbell -
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes, -drained-
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef or cubed beef and add the onions,bell pepper and garlic-Drain the fat.
2. ADD the following and stir:.
3. 1 - 46 oz can of Campbell tomato juice.
4. 1 - 15 oz can diced tomatos - drained -.
5. ADD the seasoning packets, except RED PEPPER AND MASA. (Try the Masa the first time, you might like it, it changes the taste of the chile, I don't use it because of that reason).
6. COVER and simmer 30 minutes or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally.
7. For a thicker chili, stir the packet of Masa flour into 1/4 cup of warm water.
8. Stir into chili and simmer 30 minutes.

Reviews

[Nicest of the damned]

Thank you! Got a pack of chili mix from a friend that reminded me that I had been using this a few years back and decided to search for a recipe. Love your comments, pretty much how I get down with this mix too ha ha ha :)

[jilkat25]

Wick Fowler's is also my baseline chili, and I've been using it for probably 30 years. I love your description, especially the part about not putting beans into Texas chili. That's something I'm really picky about! A couple of weeks ago, my husband brought home a small (4 pound) brisket.) We had eaten barbecued "something" for like three weeks in a row, finishing off leftovers and then making more (ribs, brisket, chicken...), so I wanted to make something different, a "Jewish Grandma's" style slow-cooked brisket to serve over egg noodles or with spaetzle. I was aiming for an Eastern European flavor profile (sort of like a tangy sauerbraten but with an oniony tomato sauce base.) I looked at a few recipes and marinated the meat overnight. Next day, I sealed the brisket and other things (no bell peppers) inside a dutch oven to slow-bake it at 250. I ended up braising that thing for about 18 hours over two days, trying to get it tender yet still sliceable, but in the end it tasted like just another barbecued brisket without the smoke, and it fell apart. In other words, it tasted like "failure." At that point, I decided to chop it up (1/2 inch) and turn it into chili. I had two packages of Wick Fowler's in the pantry and a couple of small packages of ground turkey in the freezer. I browned off the turkey with some chopped onions and threw the whole business into the crock pot. I usually add more chili powder (like chipotle or ancho) and smoked paprika to chili, but this time I only used the Wick Fowler packets since I had already spiced up the "Grandma's-style" brisket. After slow-cooking it about 6 hours on low I ended up with some of the best chili we've had in a while. I saved the cayenne packets to use later. I made fluffy pan-harina fry-breads to go with it the first day, and we ate it with flour tortillas, fried "huevos," and quesadilla queso (Cacique brand) the next. I even made a batch of ranchero beans for a side dish and sent my DH with containers of the chili and the beans over to my "not-from-Texas" in-laws' house. I told my father-in-law he could mix the beans into the chili if he had to, just don't let me see him do it!

[HotPepperRosemaryJelly]

Kick ass!!! Thank you for sharing!!! Made this for PAC Spring 09 and I thank you for a great recipe! Jelly :)