Super easy dump and go chunky stew meat chili. This wonderfully tasty chili brings multiple levels of taste with the optional use of different types of chili peppers. Tender chunks of beef will make this chili a favorite.
It's chili season, but truth be told, every season is chili season. But chili can get a little boring. Chicken or ground beef over and over. I have lots of excellent chili recipes, but one more is always good.
This chili is tending towards a Texas chili with the chunks of beef and different fresh chili peppers, but I wanted some beans also. So not quite a Texas chili if you're a purist.
My Rating
A nice solid four. This is a great hearty chili.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Stew Meat Chili
The Beef:
You can use a nice chuck roast, or if your source of precut stew meat is good, that is fine. You need to know your butcher. My closest store has excellent stew meat. I'm so lucky.
The Chili Peppers:
I chose to use a combination of fresh chili peppers here. I have Crock Pot Texas Chili which had jalapenos, Anaheim peppers, and Poblano peppers but I don't want to quit that far here. So only the jalapeno and a Poblano. Feel free to add a chopped Anaheim if you have one.
If you don't want the Poblano chili, just skip it. I do suggest you keep the jalapeno.
Other Chili Notes:
The rest of this chili is basic chili stuff. Diced tomatoes for thickness. I add tomato paste for more intense tomato taste and some sweetness.
I like my chili thick, if you are more of thinner chili person, then a cup or two of beef broth would get you where you want to be. Use low sodium broth, please.
This is not a very spicy chili. A second jalapeno or a little cayenne pepper would take care of that — only 3/10 hot.
This would be an easy recipe to cut in half, but it is good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or the freezer for 2-3 months.
Use pre-cut stew meat or a chuck roast trimmed and cut up would be good also.
Chop one large onion. Dice one Poblano pepper and mince one jalapeño pepper. Skip the Poblano pepper if you want.
Trim 2-pound chuck roast or 2 pounds of pre-cut stew meat. I always go through the stew meat for any additional trimming and to cut bigger pieces in half.
Drain and rinse two 14 oz cans of light kidney beans.
Add meat, onion, peppers, and beans in a larger crock pot. Add two 14 oz cans diced tomatoes, one 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
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Crock Pot Stew Meat Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat
- 1 large onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 poblano pepper - optional
- 28 oz light kidney beans - rinsed and drained
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Chop one large onion. Dice one Poblano pepper and mince one jalapeño pepper. Skip the Poblano pepper if you want.
- Trim 2 pounds of pre-cut stew meat. I always go through the stew meat for any additional trimming and to cut bigger pieces in half. You can also use a chuck roast.
- Drain and rinse two 14 oz cans of light kidney beans.
- Add meat, onion, peppers, and beans in a larger crock pot. Add two 14 oz cans diced tomatoes, one 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- I suggest buying a nice chuck roast for the meat if you don't have a good source of pre-cut stew meat.
- Adjust the chili peppers to your taste.
- This is a thick chili and dilute with a cup or two of beef broth if you want.
- This is a relatively easy recipe to cut in half.
- Serving size for nutrition is a bit over one cup.
- This is good in the refrigerator for 4 days and freezer for 2-3 months at least.
- Can be cooked on high in half the time.
Nutrition
Originally Published February 15, 2018
Tor Hembre
Hi Dan
I'm planning on this chili tomorrow.(Football season is finally on) Not sure how many servings I'll need, but if I double this recipe, will a 6 quart pot still work? And will the cooking time still be the same? Love your recipes, and just wanna try them all ;-)
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Tor,
This recipe makes about 12 cups which is 3 quarts. Crock pots filled at 75% or more do not cook well. So a double recipe would require an 8-quart crock pot. Most large crock pots are not that big. Most are about 6 1/2 quart. So a 50% increase would fit in 6 qt or above. Cooking time will be the same.
Enjoy your chili.
Dan
Tor Hembre
Thank you for quick response Dan. I'll go with 50 % increase then.
Your recipes are fantastic, so I know it will be a winner :-)
Kelly
Do you broken the meat before you put in the slow cooker?
DrDan
Hi Kelly,
Welcome to the blog.
I trim and cut up the beef before cooking. You can also use prepared stew meat.
Dan
Linda
I am making the chili tomorrow. I used 3 onion and 4 sweet peppers, 9 fresh cloves garlic and a Chipotle pepper in sauce, my personal favorite, all chopped. (I like to boost the veg content. Oh, also a can of black beans, so 3 cans total.
DrDan
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
That is a lot of veggies but should be great. My wife would love the garlic.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Thomas A Barnes
I just made this chili today and it turned out fantastic! I decided to use white kidney beans and pinto beans. I also added half of a Serrano pepper. This will be my go to chili recipe from now on. Thanks for sharing it.
Owen Acker
Wow! Thank you! I continually needed to write on my blog something like that. Can I implement a portion of your post to my site?
DrDan
Owen,
You can seem my guidelines for publishers at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/information-for-publishers/ .
Let me know if you have any questions. What is your site.
Dan
Dee Bacus
Making the onion soup right now smells terrific I can hardly wait. I looked over most of your recipes and really enjoyed it I'm going to run be trying a lot more of them
DrDan
Hi Dee,
Welcome to the blog, you will love the onion soup. Have a look around. A good place to start is https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/category/101s-top-posts/ which are my personal favorites.
Thanks for the note.
Dan