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Wick Fowler's Authentic Texas Chili — 2-Alarm Texas Red Recipe

Name: Wick Fowler's Authentic Texas Chili — 2-Alarm Texas Red Recipe
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lbs coarse-ground beef chuck; 2 tbsp cooking oil; 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp oregano; 1 tsp cumin; 2 tbsp chili powder; 1 tsp cayenne (held to the end — see Alarm scale); 1 tsp paprika; Salt and pepper; Water as needed; Optional: 2 tbsp masa harina + ¼ cup cold water (for thicker, kit-authentic bowl)

The Texas bowl behind the 2-Alarm kit — coarse-ground chuck, tomato sauce for body, and Wick's signature alarm heat held to the end. No beans, true Texas red.

In November 1967, Wick Fowler tied for first place at the inaugural Terlingua World Championship Chili Cook-Off — the event that put Texas chili on the map. His 2-Alarm kit made that bowl famous, but this from-scratch version is the real deal: coarse chuck, a modest pour of tomato sauce for body, and the cayenne held to the very end so you choose your alarm level.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Inspired by Wick Fowler

⏱

1.5h

Cook Time

🥩

Ground Beef

Protein

📍

Texas

Region

Heat Level

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Inferno 🔥

Nutrition Per Serving

270

calories
per serving

38g

Protein

12g

Fat

Carbs

Fiber

Sodium484mg

Sugar1g

Estimates per serving (8 servings total) · Powered by Edamam

Community Photos

📷

Ingredients

3 lbs coarse-ground beef chuck

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne (held to the end — see Alarm scale)

1 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper

Water as needed

Optional: 2 tbsp masa harina + ¼ cup cold water (for thicker, kit-authentic bowl)

Steps

Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high. Brown the coarse-ground chuck in batches until deeply colored, then drain excess fat.

Return beef to the pot, add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce and 1 cup water, scraping up any fond on the bottom.

Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano — but leave the cayenne out for now. Fowler built his bowls with the spice base first and the fire last.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered about 45 minutes, adding splashes of water if the pot tightens up.

Finish with Fowler's Alarm scale: stir in cayenne at the end — half the teaspoon for 1-Alarm (mild-medium), the full teaspoon for classic 2-Alarm, or a bit more for 3-Alarm. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve with saltines and a cold beer, Texas-style.

Optional — kit-authentic thickness: whisk 2 tbsp masa harina into ¼ cup cold water until smooth, stir into the chili, and simmer 5 minutes until glossy.

Related on ChiliStation

Prefer the shortcut?

Same Terlingua-winning spice system in a box — individual packets for the base blend, masa, and cayenne so you can dial the alarm at the table. Handy when you want Fowler flavor without hunting down every dried chile.

Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm Chili Kit on Amazon →

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