Chili con carne

Chili con carne is more Texan than Mexican — the dish was popularized in San Antonio in the nineteenth century by street vendors known as the chili queens, who sold it from stands in the city's plazas. The name is Spanish for pepper with meat, but the recipe as it evolved in Texas became something distinct: a cattle-country stew built on dried chillies and beef. Texas-style chili traditionally contains no beans; their inclusion is a point of contention. The chipotle — a smoked, dried jalapeño — delivers heat with a wood-smoke undertone that defines the profile. Cumin is the other key spice, used more heavily here than in most Mexican cooking. The meat cooks slowly enough that it breaks down into the sauce, thickened by the beans and the reduction of the braising liquid.