Chili Con Carne Sauce (Maudie's)

Here is your old-school chili con carne sauce, courtesy of Maudie's Tex-Mex in Austin. It combines ground beef, spices, water and cornstarch. A great sauce for enchiladas or chile rellanos.

This recipe is from the excellent cookbook, Austin Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Texas Capital.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons dark chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 ½ granulated garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Preparation:
  1. Before heating, place the ground beef in a saucepan and add one cup of water. Stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer over medium-low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture, breaking up all the chunks of ground beef. Simmer until cooks, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. In a bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, granulated garlic powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. Set aside.
  3. Add 2 cups of water to the saucepan and bring up to a boil. Add the dry spice mixture and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Place the cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Add one cup of cold water so it dissolves. Slowly pour the mixture into the chili and stir. Simmer for 4 additional minutes.
  5. Pour over enchiladas or chile rellanos. Makes three cups of sauce, enough for a dozen enchiladas.

Note: Pour this sauce over Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas.

Ready in: 1 Hr

Kitchen tools you'll need for Chili Con Carne Sauce (Maudie's):
Saucepans, Mixing Bowls

Recipe editor Patricia Mitchell