In Texas there are some things that just naturally go together. Queso and margaritas. Luckenbach and Wille. Basements and the Alamo. George Strait and all his exes.
But the most popular of all is football and Frito Pie. Seriously, try going to a concession stand anywhere in the state, and I will bet you the house (thank God I rent) that it is on the menu. Watch us make it with our friends, the Beer Chicks, below. We use Sandy’s tried and true Texas style chili recipe (and we put it in a bowl…oh how classy!) for a more sophisticated twist, but feel free to serve straight out of the bag like they do at small town football games–we won’t judge!
Chili Frito Pie Recipe:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Queen’s chili dump (recipe below)
8 ounces tomato sauce
14 ounces beef broth
6 dashes of Tabasco
3/4 cups beer (Beer Chicks used Session Black Lager)
1 large bag Fritos
3 cups sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated
1.Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Add beef in batches and brown on all sides, season with salt and pepper. Once all the beef is browned, add the spice dump to the beef and cook for 4-5 minutes more. Stir to make sure all the beef is fully coated in the spice dump. Pour in the tomato sauce, beef broth, Tabasco, and beer. Bring to a simmer, cover and continue to cook for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is fork tender. Stir once in a while to prevent chili from burning on the bottom.
2.When ready to serve, fill the bottom of a bowl with Fritos and top with a hearty helping of beef chili. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and enjoy!
Serves: 6
Queen’s Chili Dump Recipe:
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3/4 cups chili powder
1.Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Casserole Queens 