This stew meat chili recipe has tender beef chunks, beans, and peppers in a rich tomato base for big flavor. Make it in the crock pot or on the stovetop — either way, it’s hearty and simple.
⏰ Quick Answer: How Long to Cook Stew Meat Chili?
- Crock pot: 7–8 hours on LOW or about 4 hours on HIGH.
- Stovetop: simmer 1½–2 hours until the beef is tender.
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Featured Comment by Steve:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"This is one of the best crock pot meals I have ever fixed; simply delicious."
📝 TL; DR — Recipe Summary
What: Stew meat chili with beef chunks, beans, peppers, and a rich tomato base.
Why: A hearty alternative to ground beef chili that’s easy to make and scales well.
How: Make stew meat chili in a crock pot or quicker on the stovetop.
🐄 Ingredients
- Beef chunks – use precut stew meat or cube your own from a chuck roast.
- Red kidney beans – classic for chili with beans, though other beans work too.
- Onion – the base for flavor along with peppers.
- Peppers – jalapeño for heat, poblano for depth (or swap in what you like).
- Tomato products – diced tomatoes plus tomato paste for a rich, thick base.
- Seasonings – chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Making Stew Meat Chili
Prep the beef – use precut stew meat or trim a chuck roast into equal-sized beef chunks.
Brown (optional, but tasty) – in a little vegetable oil, dusted with flour for extra browning and flavor.
Chop the veggies – onion, poblano, and jalapeño (or swap peppers to your taste).
Rinse the beans – drain and rinse kidney beans or your preferred beans.
Combine everything – add beef, beans, onion, peppers, tomato products, and spices to a crock pot or Dutch oven. Mix well.
Cook low and slow – crock pot: 7–8 hours on LOW or ~4 hours on HIGH. Stovetop: covered simmer for 1½–2 hours.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for tips, options, and serving ideas.
🐂 Ingredient Options & Variations
- Beef choices – use precut stew meat for convenience or cut beef chunks from a well-marbled chuck roast. Avoid lean cuts, which can become tough.
- Beans – kidney beans are traditional, but black beans or pinto beans work too.
- Peppers – poblano and jalapeño add flavor and mild heat. Swap in Anaheim for something lighter, or double the jalapeño for more spice.
- Cowboy chili style – add extra heat, and you may keep or skip the beans; both are acceptable.
👍 Pro Tips for Success
- Cut your own beef chunks – trimming a chuck roast gives you more even pieces and lets you remove excess fat.
- Browning builds flavor – optional, but a quick sear with a light dusting of flour adds extra flavor and helps thicken the chili.
- Dump-and-go works too – if you’re pressed for time, you have full permission to just add everything to the crock pot and let it cook.
- Thick vs. thin – this makes a thick chili. Add a little beef broth near the end if you prefer it thinner.
- Crock pot tip – smaller crock pots may cook faster. Check the beef for tenderness early the first time you make it.
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↕️ Scaling for Two or a Crowd
This recipe makes about 6 cups of chili (four 1½-cup servings).
- Half recipe: About 3 cups (2 servings), perfect for two.
- Full recipe: About 6 cups (4 servings) and fits a 2-quart mini crock pot.
- Double recipe: 8 servings; use at least a 4-quart crock pot.
- Triple recipe: 12 servings; use a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
✅ Cooking time: Use the same general cooking times, but cook until the beef is tender.
Scaling the ingredients: In the recipe card, change the number of servings. Use the amounts in the ingredient list; the instructions do not adjust.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, or cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, salsa, or guacamole. It’s also great over rice, baked potatoes, or chili dogs. For a classic side, serve with Old Fashioned Cornbread or Cornbread Drop Biscuits.
❄️ Storage & Leftovers
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in portion-sized containers.
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
📌 Related Chili Recipes
If you like this stew meat chili, try these other reader favorites:
- Small Crock Pot Chili – classic ground beef chili, easy for weeknights.
- Small Crock Pot White Chicken Chili – super easy, award-winning, dump-and-go with 5 ingredients.
- Salsa Verde Chicken Chili – a lighter, tangy twist.
Texas Chili (No Beans)
No beans – just chuck roast, broth, and chili peppers like authentic Texas chili. Make this Texas no-bean chili low and slow for tender, bold flavor in your slow cooker or on the stovetop.
❓FAQs
It’s optional. Browning with a light dusting of flour adds flavor through the Maillard reaction, and if you use a Dutch oven you can keep it one-pot.
But if you’re short on time, you have full permission to just dump everything in the crock pot and let it cook — it will still turn out delicious.
Stew meat becomes tender after about 7–8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH in a crock pot. On the stovetop, plan 1½–2 hours of gentle simmering until it breaks apart easily with a fork.
Chili con carne means “chili with meat” and is what most people think of as classic beef-and-beans chili. Texas chili is traditionally beans-free, but since this recipe uses beef chunks and beans, it’s best described as chili con carne or Texas chili with beans — hearty, simple, and crock pot–friendly.
📖The Recipe Card
Stew Meat Chili (Crock Pot or Stovetop)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1–1½ pounds stew meat - or trimmed chuck roast
- ½ large onion
- ½ jalapeno pepper
- ½ poblano pepper - optional
- 14 oz light kidney beans - rinsed and drained
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- low sodium beef broth - to thin if desired.
- optional flour and oil for browning
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the beef – use 1–1½ pounds of precut stew meat or trim a chuck roast into equal-sized beef chunks.
- Brown (optional, but tasty) – in a little vegetable oil, dusted with flour for extra browning and flavor.
- Chop the vegetables – ½ large onion: Dice ½ Poblano pepper and mince ½ jalapeno pepper. You can skip the Poblano pepper or add an Anaheim if you wish.
- Drain and rinse 1 can of kidney beans (or beans of your choice).
- Combine everything in a small crock pot or Dutch oven – add beef, beans, onion, peppers, one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes, 3 oz of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Cook low and slow. Crock pot: 7–8 hours on LOW or about 4 hours on HIGH. Stovetop: simmer covered for 1½–2 hours.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
A full-size recipe needs a 2-quart mini crock pot or bigger. A double recipe fits nicely in a 4-quart or larger. A triple recipe needs 6 quarts or larger. Buy a well-marbled chuck roast if you don’t have a good source of quality pre-cut stew meat. Adjust the chili peppers to your taste. This is about a 3/10 heat, as written. Many will want to double the jalapeno or add a little cayenne pepper. This is a thick chili, and you may thin it with 4 to 8 oz of low-sodium beef broth or beer if you wish. Add at the end of cooking to avoid overfilling your crock pot. This is good in the refrigerator for 4 days and the freezer for 3 months. This stew meat chili with beans recipe makes about 6 cups. Most people will eat a serving size of about 1½ cups.Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published February 15, 2018. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Kellie says
Fantastic recipe! Cooked it for 3 hours covered on the stove. Best chili I’ve ever made, hands down.
When I make chili I always deglaze the pan after drowning the meat with 1/2 bottle of beer, and then add a splash of real maple syrup at the end to balance the acidity. Other than that I followed recipe as is and it was soooo good!! Thank you!!