Tailgate foods usually include nacho and chili. Cover both with this delicious, easy crock pot shredded beef chili you can serve in a bowl or on nachos loaded with cheese and other toppings. Great chili makes excellent nachos.
Introduction
Fall is rapidly approaching, and football season is starting, so that means tailgating or game parties. Serve this great shredded beef chili in a bowl or create some impressive nachos—your choice.
I have many excellent chili recipes, but my wife's favorite beef chili is my Crock Pot Chili. It is just a great classic red ground beef chili. A little tuck here, a little change there, and I had my plan. I did cross-check some other recipes, but I like mine best.
My Rating
In the high 4 or low 5 range. A very nice chili and some great nachos.
♨️The Chili
A nice chuck roast or similar with good marbling will cook and shred well, giving a wonderful deep beefy taste and tenderness.
Adjust the heat to your taste with the cayenne pepper and if you want to kick it up, add a jalapeno.
If you want a normal thickness chili, then 2 cups of broth. If you want a very thick nacho topping, then no broth. And if you want to use it for both, use 1 cup.
Absolutely. Chili is always better the next day. It is good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3 months.
Of course, you can use any chili. But this homemade shredded beef chili is much better than almost any other chili it can use here. And please, no canned chili.
🇲🇽Nachos
There are no rules for nachos. Make them with the chili or other meat and every topping available. Or just simple cheese nachos. They are the ultimate easy "have it as you like it" appetizer or meal.
The best cheeses are Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or one of the Mexican cheese blends, but use any cheese you like that melts well. If added on top of hot chili, the cheese will melt nicely. But a brief microwave will help. I don't suggest Velveeta or the liquid cheese sauces for nachos.
Other suggested toppings are green onions, diced tomatoes, pickled or fresh jalapenos, and sour cream are the most common toppings.
Other typical toppings include guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, and black olives.
📖Crock Pot Chili Recipes
Ultra Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Crock Pot Chili - Classic ground beef chili
Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Very standard-looking chili components.
Start with a 2 to 3-pound chuck roast. Trim off any trimmable fat.
Chop one large onion and one green pepper. Mince or crush two cloves of garlic.
Add onion, green pepper, 28 oz kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 28 oz diced tomatoes, 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 cloves crushed or minced garlic, 6 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Work the beef into the crock pot mixture.
Be sure to get some on top of the beef. Add 1 cup of beef broth but adjust between 0 to 2 cups for your desired thickness. Also, ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste is optional. And if you're adventurous, then one jalapeno minced.
Cook on low for 8 hours or 4-5 hours on high total. With one hour left, remove the beef, shred and replace in the crock pot for the last hour.
Eat straight up as chili or make some fantastic nachos. This should also reheat great or freeze.
📖Recipe
Chili Nachos
Ingredients
Shredded Beef Chili
- 2-3 pound chuck roast - trimmed
- 1 onion - large diced
- 1 green pepper - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
- 28 oz red kidney beans - 2 cans drained and rinsed
- 28 oz diced tomatoes - 2 cans
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 6 tablespoons chili powder - yes tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth - adjust to desired thickness (0 to 2 cups)
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional to taste
- 1 jalapeno pepper - minced Optional
Making Nachos
- Tortilla corn chips
- Cheese of choice. - Cheddar or Monterey Jack is good.
- Toppings - Green onions, pickled or fresh jalapenos, and sour cream
Instructions
- Use a crock pot that is 4 quart or larger. Start with a 2 to 3 pound chuck roast. Trim off any trimmable fat.
- Chop one large onion and one green pepper. Mince or crush 2 cloves garlic.
- Add onion, green pepper, 28 oz kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 28 oz diced tomatoes, 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 cloves crushed or minced garlic, 6 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Work the beef into the crock pot mixture.
- Be sure to get some on top of the beef. Add 1 cup of beef broth but adjust between 0 to 2 cups for your desired thickness. Also, ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste is optional. And if you're adventurous, then one jalapeno minced.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. With one hour left, remove the beef, shred and replace in the crock pot for the last hour.
- Eat straight up as chili or make some impressive nachos. This should also reheat great or freeze.
- Makeup nachos with corn tortilla chips and toppings of your choice.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- If you want a normal thickness chili, then 2 cups of broth. If you want a very thick nacho topping then no broth. And if you want to use it for both, 1 cup.
- This makes about 12 cups of chili and needs a 4 quart or larger crock pot.
- The chili can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3 months.
- I suggest Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or one of the Mexican cheese blends—any cheese you like that melts well.
- Green onions, pickled or fresh jalapenos, and sour cream are the most common toppings. Other toppings include guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and black olives.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally published February 15, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Adrian
Hello, thank you for sharing. Would it be possible to replace the chuck roast for beef and cook on high? If so, for how long?
DrDan
Hi Adrian,
Second question first. This will cook fine in 4 hours on high.
Now the first question. I'm not quit sure what you are asking. The chuck roast can be replace with other beef. I frequently will just use stew meat. But if you substitute a lean beaf like eye of round or sirloin, it won't shred well.
Hope that helps. Reply again if you have you need clarification.
Dan
Ashley
I’ve got this in the crock pot now with a few minor changes based on what we had on hand for beans and tomatoes. You list this as 8 servings, how big are the servings? 1 cup? 1 and a half cups? Thank you!
DrDan
Hi Ashley,
Welcome to the blog.
Without the added broth, it is about 1 1/2 cups per serving. The broth can add up to 1/4 cup to that depending on how much you add.
Dan
Chris
Those nachos look to die for!
Denise Holstege
That looks awesome. I will be trying it when we return from our Texas vacation and I have all my home spices and cooking utensils