Super easy dump and go chunky stew meat chili. Think of it as almost a Texas chili but with beans. 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.
Introduction
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 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. PS- Texas chili does not have beans.
My Rating
A nice solid four. Perhaps a five on certain days. This is a great hearty chili.
🐄The Beef
I like to use a well-marbleized chuck roast for this recipe, but many other cuts of beef will work fine. When doing a double recipe where I need about 3-4 pounds of meat, I usually do the chuck roast. But for a single recipe needing only 1 ½-2 pounds, I will cheat and use precut stew meat.
I do like to brown the trimmed meat before going into the crock pot. That will add some nice extra flavor, but you can skip that step if you want.
t store has excellent stew meat. I'm so lucky.
🌶️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.
✔️Tips
Other Ingredients
The rest of this chili is basic chili stuff—diced tomatoes for thickness. I add tomato paste for a more intense tomato taste and some sweetness.
I like my chili thick; if you are more of a 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.
Crock Pot Size
This makes about 12 cups of chili. A crock pot should not be filled over 75%. A half recipe will fit nicely in a 3-quart crock pot. A full recipe needs 4-quart or larger.
Storage
Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and good in the freezer for 2-3 months.
📖Crock Pot Chilies
Salsa Verde Chicken Chili a la Crock Pot
Ultra Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
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 to 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 or high for about 4 hours. You may add some low-sodium beef broth to thin if you which but wait until near the end of cooking.
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📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Stew Meat Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat - about
- 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
- low sodium beef broth - to thin if desired.
Instructions
- Chop one large onion. Dice one Poblano pepper and mince one jalapeno 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 or high for about 4 hours. You may add some low-sodium beef broth to thin if you which but wait until near the end of cooking.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This is a relatively easy recipe to cut in half. A full-size recipe needs a 4 quart or larger crock pot. A half recipe fits nicely in a 3 quart.
- 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 about a 3/10 heat as written. Many will want a second jalapeno or a little cayenne pepper.
- This is a thick chili and dilute with a cup or two of beef broth if you want.
- This is good in the refrigerator for 4 days and the freezer for 2-3 months at least.
- This makes about 12 cups and nutrition is calculated on that. Most people will eat a serving size of about 1 ½ cups.
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
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Editor's Note: Originally Published February 15, 2018. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Steve
This is one of the best crock pot meals I have ever fixed; simply delicious. The only departure from the recipe I made was substituting about 1/2 of a large anaheim chili for the poblano. I also tossed in a 1/4 tsp of cayenne for a little more heat. It's now our go-to chili recipe.
Robby
Can you cheat and use the permix chili seasoning
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Robby,
Welcome to the blog.
The answer, you always "can" but should you? I doubt it is a good idea. The components vary by brand and usually it is mostly filler making you think there is more spice than really is there. So I would not chance my chili ingredients on a premixed seasoning,
So probably but please don't since the results are unpredictable.
Dan
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