Unlock The Secret To Ultra-Flavorful Chili With This Perfectly Balanced Beef Blend

When it comes to a great bowl of chili, puritans hold that beans have no place in the dish — and a Texan may just fight you over that. Chili has been the official dish of the Lone Star State since 1977, and controversy rages hot over what ingredients should be in Texas chili. Whether you're into beans or not, most people can agree that meat is the most important ingredient when it comes to chili and that, for a truly flavor-packed creation, a great beef blend is vital.

For some expert intel on the best meat combination for an exceptional chili, Food Republic turned to Serge Krikorian, executive chef and managing partner at Vibrant Occasions Catering. He reiterated the point that, while using the wrong meat is one of several common chili-cooking mistakes, the right beef combination can seriously elevate your dish.

"The magic is in the meat — it's the foundation of everything!" Krikorian shared. "For my chili, I like to use a mix of 80/20 ground chuck for that good fat content and richness, then I add in some diced chuck roast cut by hand. This gives you those beautiful, tender chunks that soak up all the spices. We never waste any part of the animal, so sometimes I throw in some ground sirloin, too, for that leaner texture [...] When all those meats cook together, they create flavors that no single cut can do alone."

We've settled that perfecting your beef blend is key to creating the very best chili. However, there are some other techniques that will help make your chili even more flavorful. One of these is blooming your spices. Blooming spices involves heating them in fat, and it should be done at the beginning of the cooking process, creating a flavorful foundation that infuses your whole pot. Applying direct heat affects the flavor release of spices by drawing out their essential oils. Starting with this process will elevate your chili from the jump.

You can bloom your spices in various ways. In the oil in which your onions are being cooked, for instance, or in the fat juices that are left behind after you brown your meat. You can also bloom them separately and then add in your onions, beef, and other ingredients. If you do it separately, use an oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil or canola. You can also use butter or rendered bacon fat for an even more delectable flavor. Whichever route you take, blooming your spices will result in bold flavors that perfectly complement the beef blend recommended by Serge Krikorian. The resulting chili is bound to taste absolutely incredible.