Smoked chili is loaded with shreds of smoked beef swimming in a boldly seasoned sauce loaded with roasted peppers, onions, and beans.
This smoked beef chili recipe is distinctly different from a classic homemade chili using lean ground beef. Instead, we use beef roast that is smoked and slowly cooked until tender and easily shreds with a fork. You haven't tasted chili with such depth of flavor!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chuck steak - This is the same the larger chuck roast, which can also be substituted. This cut is ideal because it has enough fat to improve the flavor of the chili. You can substitute leaner beef cuts, but the chuck or brisket would be my top two choices. You could make this recipe with ground meat instead, but I really think using whole cuts is better.
- Yellow onions - Sweet onions are also great, or you can substitute red onions for a stronger onion flavor.
- Cooking oil - I typically use canola oil, but olive oil works well too.
- Jalapeno Peppers - These can be removed if you want less heat.
- Poblano pepper - Substitute green bell peppers if you don't want any heat. Chipotle peppers can be used if you don't intend to roast them.
- Garlic cloves - Substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
- Beef Stock - Beef broth can also be used.I recommend unsalted stock or broth so you have more control over the salt level of your chili.
- Canned chili beans - The liquid in a can of chili beans is my secret ingredient to make the chili wonderfully thick and silky. However, you can make chili without beans.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Tomato Sauce
- Tomato Paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- BBQ sauce - You can use your own homemade barbeque sauce, or buy your favorite brand at the grocery store.
- Flour - This is used to thicken the chili. Masa harina is a great substitute as well.
Spices for Chili Seasoning
You can use a store-bought chili seasoning, but I recommend following the instructions to use my own homemade chili seasoning blend that is perfect as a chili base in this recipe. You will need the following spices:
- Kosher salt
- Ground cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Ancho powder (you can substitute chili powder)
- Onion powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne Pepper (you can substitute crushed red pepper flakes)
- Fresh ground black pepper
How to smoke chili
Prior to making your bubbling cauldron of smoked chili, you must first get out your smoker and get some meat smoking! This part of the recipe is fairly flexible. You can either smoke the meat until it is completely tender and ready to eat (which will require less simmering later), or you can simply smoke it for 3-4 hours at 250 degrees to get it saturated with the smoke flavor and finish cooking it in the chili until it is tender. I personally recommend the shorter method.
It is important to note, tougher cuts of meat need to simmer for hours to become tender. You will want to have extra liquid on hand to add to the chili to keep it at your desired consistency because the longer you simmer it, the thicker your chili will become. I add extra beef stock, as needed, but you can also just use water.
Once your smoked chuck roast is done in the smoker, cut it into six large chunks, which will help it break down in the chili more easily.
While your meat is smoking you can prepare the peppers by roasting them under the broiler until the skin is blackened and blistered. Rotate them to ensure they are cooked evenly then remove the blackened skin once they are cool enough to handle.
Begin building your chili in a Dutch oven or large pot by sauteing the onions and garlic in cooking oil over medium heat on your stovetop. Once tender, the rest of the ingredients and seasoning can be added to the pot as well and stirred together with a wooden spoon. Let simmer uncovered for three hours, or until the meat is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork.
Serve this chili with your favorite toppings and my homemade buttermilk cornbread!
Storing & Reheating Leftover Chili
Smoked chili is great to make in advance because it allows the flavors to meld. This smoked chili recipe is particularly well suited to prepare in advance because its long cook time can be divided up between two days if desired. You can smoke the meat one day, and prepare the chili the next.
Leftover smoked chili should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. They can be reheated in individual servings in the microwave or a big pot of chili can be warmed up on the stovetop.
Smoked Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck steak (or substitute another smoked meat)
- wood chips for smoking
- 2 medium yellow onions (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 jalapeno Peppers
- 1 poblano pepper
- 4 Garlic cloves (minced)
- 3 cups Beef Stock unsalted
- 30 ounces canned chili beans
- 28 ounces can Diced Tomatoes
- 15 ounces can Tomato Sauce
- 6 ounces can Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup flour
- Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for serving
Chili Seasoning
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Ancho powder (can sub chili powder)
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place chuck steak in the smoker for 3-4 hours at 250 degrees with your desired flavor of wood for smoking. Keep the vents wide open to avoid a buildup of creosote on the meat, which can make the chili bitter.
- Remove meat from smoker and cut into 4-6 large chunks.
- Turn your broiler on high and roast the peppers on a baking sheet placed on the upper rack until the skin blisters, rotate and continue to broil until all sides of the pepper has blistered.
- Place peppers in a bowl covered with a kitchen towel to allow the skin to loosen and be easily removed. Let sit until the peppers are cool enough to handle then remove and discard the skin and seeds then chop the roasted peppers.
- Add cooking oil to a Dutch Oven or soup pot set over medium heat then add chopped onions. Saute until tender and beginning to brown. Add minced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Add chili seasonings to the pot along with all remaining chili ingredients and the smoked meat. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
- Let the chili simmer uncovered for 3+ hours, or until the meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork. Add additional liquid while simmering if needed to maintain your desired sauce consistency.
- Ladle chili into bowls and top chili with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese.
Notes
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com on October 23, 2019.
Nina Trump
I have never rated a recipe, but this one definitely deserves 5 stars. I did minor tweaking for personal taste. I cooked my own beans and used black beans instead of kidney. I did add the bean broth to my chili. I also put the meat in a slow-cooker after taking it out of the smoker, so it was very tender and shredded easily. I used the broth I. Place of beef stock. I reduced the salt to 1 T and used hickory smoked salt. I won a chili cook off with this recipe and it will be my go to from now on.
Stephen
Great recipe! I made with Mexican oregano just on a whim. It turned out great. Won my chili cook off with it to boot!
Katie
This looks fantastic. Our Church has an annual chili cookoff every year. I'm going to make your chili. It is the 21st of March, I'll let you know how we do! Only question. Is the oregano regular or Mexican? I think the Mexican would be delish! Thanks for sharing your recipe! I hope I win!!!
Fox Valley Foodie
Use regular Oregan unless specified. Good luck with the cookoff!
Katie
Just wanted to update. We got 2nd! Everyone loved it! But honestly every year some version of pork green chili seems to always win. Thank you so much for this recipe. We will get them next year!!
Jeffrey Cabral
Wondering if you put any seasoning on the chuc roast prior to cooking on smoker?
Fox Valley Foodie
No, there is no need to.
Tom Jones
Beans? In chili? A pox on you.
Fox Valley Foodie
Easy solution. Just omit them if you don't like them. /shrug
Jason Andres
Flour in at the same time as everything else? I'm assuming at since the chili will cook for a few hours more the raw flavor will disappear?
Fox Valley Foodie
You are exactly right. It is there as a thickener, but you will never taste it.
Regina Vanscoder
How would you do this recipe if you wanted to use raw beans and cook them instead of canned??
Fox Valley Foodie
You can soak the raw beans overnight prior to using them. However, the chili will taste best using canned chili beans because the chili beans are heavily seasoned which adds to the flavor of the chili, and contain a thickening liquid that helps create a thick and silky chili sauce.