The Mexican Cook Book (1971) – Chile con Carne Estilo Tejano y a la Mexicana (Texas-style and Mexican-style chili)

Wallace, George and Inger. The Mexican Cook Book. Concord, CA: Nitty Gritty Productions, 1971. P. 106-107 [TX716 .M4 W35 1971]

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This week features another recipe from The Mexican Cook Book by George and Inger Wallace.

In their chapter on Pollos y Carnes (Meat and Fish), the Wallaces include two chili recipes: Chile con Carne Estilo Tejano and Chile con Carne a la Mexicana. The inclusion of both recipes is intriguing because the two recipes differ in only very minor ways. Unfortunately, there is no accompanying explanation of the recipes’ source or the authors’ reasons for associating one with Texas and one with Mexico.

Both recipes call for browning cubed meat, adding sauteed onions and garlic, and simmering with water, chile powder, salt, oregano, and cumin for 1 1/2 hours. Chile con Carne Estilo Tejano is made with a combination of beef and pork, however, and includes the addition of 16 oz. of tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, while Chile con Carne a la Mexicana contains only beef and adds pickled jalapeño chiles for extra spice. Interestingly, the Texas-style chile (but not the Mexican-style) includes the option of adding beans.

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Chile con Carne Estilo Tejano

• 1 pound lean beef, cubed
• 1 pound pork, cubed
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (8-ounce) tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 4 T. mild chile powder
• 2 T. cocoa
• 2 t. salt
• 2 t. oregano
• 1 t. cumin

Brown meat in hot oil; put it in a large pot for further cooking.

Saute onion and garlic in the same oil; add to the meat. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.

Cover pan tightly and cook over low heat –about 1 1/2 hours –or until meat is tender.

For chile con carne with beans, add 4 cups of cooked Mexican beans to the pot and stir occasionally without breaking them.

Serve with tortillas.

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Chile con Carne a la Mexicana

• 2 pounds lean beef, cubed
• 3 T. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups water
• 3 T. mild chile powder
• 2 t. oregano
• 1/2 t. cumin
• 1/2 t. salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 pickled jalapeño chiles, minced

Brown meat in hot oil and put it in a large pot. Saute onion and garlic in the same oil; add it to the meat. Add all remaining ingredients except the peppers.

Cover pot and cook over low heat–about 1 1/2 hours–or until the meat is tender.

Just before serving, add the hot peppers. These are really hot, and the full effect is not immediately noticeable–so be careful.