Smoked Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
- 2 lbs Chuck Roast
- 4 tbs Flour Substitute 2 tbs cornstarch for a gluten-free option.
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion Chopped
- 1 Cup Celery Chopped
- 1 Green Bell Pepper Chopped
- 1 Red Bell Pepper Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Carrot Chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
- 14.5 oz Fire Roasted Tomatoes 1 Can
- 6 cups Beef Broth
- 6 oz Tomato Paste 1 small can
- 15.5 oz Kidney Beans 1 Can
- 2 tbs Chili Powder
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Salt Salt to taste after all ingredients have been added.
Instructions
Smoked Ground Beef
- I like to use a mix of 85/15 ground beef. Begin by forming a log shape from the ground beef an seasoning it with your favorite salt, pepper, and garlic rub. I used Kinder's Salt, Pepper & Garlic blend.
- Smoke the ground beef at 225ºF for about an hour or until the internal temperature hits 150. Some people will place the pot of chili under the ground beef on the smoker to catch the drippings. This is called the over-the-top chili method.
- Crumble the smoked ground beef into bite-sized pieces for the chili
Smoked Chuck Roast
- I am using leftover smoked chuck roast. Open a new tab and get the full instructions on how to smoke chuck roast, or use our smoked shredded beef recipe.
- Chop the smoked chuck roast up or shred the beef if you are using smoked shredded beef.
Smoked Chili Recipe -Step by Step
- Add the olive oil and onion and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and carrot to the pot and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue to stir. The flour will help thicken the chili. You can also use cornstarch instead of flour to make a gluten-free chili.
- Add one can of fire-roasted tomatoes and one can of tomato paste.
- Add the smoked ground beef and the smoked chuck roast.
- Add the beef broth, kidney beans, and all the seasonings. (Chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, black pepper, salt)
- Allow the smoked chili to simmer for at least 2 hours or until the chili gets to the correct thickness.
- Garnish with sour cream, cheese, and onions and serve.
Nutrition
Hot Tip
For spicy smoked chili, you can finely dice half the jalapeño pepper and add it to the chili. You can leave the other half of the pepper whole so you can remove it after the chili broth has reached the desired spice level. You will be surprised how much spice you can add by just simmering a large piece of jalepeño pepper in the chili for an hour. You will have to taste the chili often to check the spice level.
As the crisp autumn air settles in, my family’s taste buds take a turn towards the warm and comforting, and that means it is time to break out my smoked chili recipe. Is it the smell of the chili pot simmering for hours on the stove? Or could it simply be that they’ve been missing the delectable taste of chili all summer long?
Chili Recipe Variations
A recipe is just a starting point; most people will make changes based on personal preferences. Here are a couple of recipe variations. You can substitute cornstarch for the flour to make a gluten-free chili. You can leave out the beans to make a Texas-style chili.
Secret Chili Ingredients
Everyone who has ever cooked homemade chili will have a secret chili ingredient. Some secret chili ingredients I have seen are cocoa powder or chocolate, peanut butter, coffee, beer, cinnamon, bacon, chili peppers, and even bacon. What’s my secret chili ingredient? My secret ingredient is on this list. Let me know your secret ingredient in the comments below.
How to Thicken Chili
You can thicken your chili in a couple of different ways. The flour that you added to the vegetables in step 2 should provide you with the proper thickness. If you want your chili thicker, you can cook it longer without a lid. The longer you cook the chili, the thicker it should get. Or you can add cornstarch or a bit more flour. Mix the flour or cornstarch with a little water before adding to the chili. Typically, you would mix 1 tbs of water with 1 tbsp of flour or cornstarch and slowly whisk it into the chili. This will ensure you do not get clumps of flour.
What to Serve with Chili
You can serve so many good things with this smoked chili. My favorites are cornbread, banquette bread, biscuits, crackers, Frito’s corn chips, tortilla chips, mac and cheese, fries or even a baked potato.
Storing and Reheating
To store your chili, add it to a sealed container and keep in the refrigerator. The best way I have found to reheat chili is to cook it on the stove-top, but you can also microwave it. Be sure to add a paper towel to the top of the chili in the microwave so you don’t get splatter all over.
Give These Other Recipes a Try
- Tri-Tip Sliders
- Ground Beef Empanadas
- Burgundy Pepper Tri-Tip
- Panera Turkey Chili – With smoked turkey breast
Frequently Asked Questions
Beans in Smoked Chili?
I like using kidney beans in my chili—that’s how my mom made it—but if you want more of a Texas-style chili, you can leave the beans out of the recipe. The typical beans used in chili are kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans. Beans or no beans? Let me know in the comments.
How Long Does Smoked Chili Last?
Smoked chili should be fine for 5-6 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Chili?
Sure, you can freeze chili just like soup. Freezer bags or vacuum sealing are great ways to freeze chili. Chili should be good for a couple of months in the freezer.