Tex-Mex Chili -- The Stew That Can't Decide What It Is

Bryan Station's football season is winding down. I don't go to the games anymore — Clay isn't playing and the bleachers feel different without a reason to be in section C, row four, seat seven. But I follow the scores because the scores are a connection to the life that was before, the life of Friday nights and tackle counts and the Herald-Leader and the game ball on the kitchen counter.

Clay was invited to a game by his old coach. Senior night — they honored him as a record holder. He didn't go. He said he wasn't up for it. I didn't push. The game was Friday night and Clay was in the garage with a beer, sitting in the dark, while fifty yards away (metaphorically — the school is across town) boys his age played football under lights and were young and uncomplicated and didn't flinch at the sound of a whistle.

Connie and I talked on Saturday morning. The talking has become a ritual — Saturday mornings, coffee, the kitchen table, the honest assessment of where Clay is this week versus last week. This week: holding. Not better. Not worse. Holding. The therapy is ongoing. The drinking is steady — not escalating but not decreasing either. Two or three beers a night. One or two bourbons. Manageable. Functional. The exact level of drinking that allows you to sleep without dreaming but doesn't prevent you from functioning the next day. I know this level. I lived at this level for years. It's the plateau where people stay when they've found the dose that works and don't want to find the dose that doesn't.

I made Brunswick stew. The thick, everything-in-the-pot stew from two years ago. Pulled pork, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, lima beans, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire. The stew of complicated situations. The stew that can't decide what it is. I served it with cornbread and we ate at the table — Craig, Connie, Clay — and the table was full even though the conversation was sparse and the silence was thick and the stew was the warmest thing in the room.

The Brunswick stew I made that Saturday came from the same instinct that drives me toward this Tex-Mex chili — the impulse to build something layered and slow, something that asks more of the pot than it asks of the people eating it. Both dishes are the kind of food you make when the situation is complicated and the conversation is hard; they hold everything in suspension without demanding that anything resolve. If you’re feeding a table that needs warmth more than words, start here.

Tex-Mex Chili

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 1 lb bulk pork sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, green onions, cornbread

Instructions

1. Brown the meat. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the ground beef and pork sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 8–10 minutes. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
2. Soften the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Build the base. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it caramelize slightly against the bottom of the pot. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat everything evenly and toast the spices for about 1 minute.
4. Add liquids and beans. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the kidney beans and pinto beans. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
5. Simmer low and slow. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the chili has thickened and the flavors have deepened. For a thicker chili, uncover for the last 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne as needed.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, or sliced jalapeños as desired. Serve alongside cornbread or crackers.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 485 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 820mg