The Secret That Makes Texas Roadhouse's Chili A High-Value Item

Americans love their steak and, according to seven straight quarters of impressive sales figures, more and more of us are dining at their nearest Texas Roadhouse. While there are a slew of other options coming out of the kitchen, most dinners center on those cuts. However, there is one meat-heavy dish the chain serves that you may have overlooked: Scratch-made Texas red chili, which happens to be a downright bargain when you consider that the high-quality components come from Texas Roadhouse's steaks.

According to a former employee who shared their insight on Reddit, every bowl contains beef from Texas Roadhouse's hand-cut steaks, all of which are USDA Choice — the second-highest grade on the market behind Prime. "Those trimmings are not wasted," the post stated in the subreddit r/steak. "Making this chili one of the most expensive chili[s] you could make at home because it is ground filet, ribeye, strip, and sirloin meat. I'm a big fan." 

Comments about Texas Roadhouse's steaks and other offerings left by current and former employees are scattered across the internet, and most seem to be in agreement that scraps from the sides of fresh meat that are butchered in-house end up in the hearty stew. It's a practical move on the company's part, given the fact that they're turning those odd bits into a profitable byproduct (a cup costs around $4 or $5, depending on location). Of course, putting chili on the menu also helps prevent food waste.

In the subreddit r/TopSecretRecipes, another user went into more detail about the process, describing how meat cuttings are cooked, strained, and then simmered with onions, garlic, and diced jalapeños before flour and a premixed bag of spices are thrown into the pot. The aforementioned former staffer also shared a chili menu hack: Ask to have it poured over a massive Cactus Blossom and topped with melted Jack (the latter normally comes on the smothered chicken breast). If you're not a Texas Roadhouse chili devotee, you can still upgrade that battered-and-fried onion appetizer by ordering it with the same cheese together with pulled pork and barbecue sauce.