Texas Chili is the perfect way to feed a hungry crowd and absolutely full of flavor. This recipe is packed with a generous portion of beef (chuck is best) and an interesting array of spices that will lend a touch of sophistication to your Texas chili bowl.
Unlike a classic chili recipe made with ground beef, this recipe doesn’t include beans. Serve it with a big ol’ chunk of cornbread or garlic bread for dipping!
What is Texas Chili?
To make Texas chili, you really only need to remember one thing. No Beans! Also, keep in mind this regional recipe generally uses only stew beef and not ground beef. Purists will argue that true Texas-style chili is designed to let the flavors of beef and peppers to prevail, and therefore they only use stew beef, chilies, and tomatoes.
But most people spice things up to some degree, and I’m in that camp. This Texas chili has an amazingly rich flavor that comes from not only the beef, but also an unexpected combination of spices and ingredients, including cinnamon, cumin, and even a pinch of unsweetened cocoa!
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BEEF for this recipe can be either stewing beef or chuck. Chuck is uniformly marbled and the tissues break down cooked over low and slow heat until melt in your mouth tender. Stewing beef is another great option but can be made up of various cuts of beef so it doesn’t cook as uniformly.
One of the best things to love about chili is that it lets you exercise your creativity, so go ahead and experiment with all those delightful dried and canned chilies available in specialty grocery stores or even ethnic food aisles. Guajillo, ancho or pasilla peppers are all excellent options.
To Make Texas Chili
- Brown the stew beef in an oiled stew pot, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onions, garlic, and chili peppers.
- Stir in the seasonings and cook briefly.
- Add beef and the rest of the ingredients and simmer until very tender.
Serving Suggestions
By now you know that the best Texas chili recipes contain no beans, but that doesn’t mean you can’t serve them on the side. Keep it simple. Or, mash up some kidney, red and pinto beans, and refry with some butter or lard, garlic powder and other spices. Spanish rice also make an excellent companion dish.
Cornbread should also be considered for dipping or soaking up that spicy sauce. For a tasty finishing touch, top your Texas chili with sour cream or shredded Mexican cheeses.
Got Leftovers?
FRIDGE: Leftovers will keep about 4-5 days in the fridge and easily reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.
FREEZER: This recipe freezes perfectly once cooled. Pack it into freezer containers, leaving an inch of headspace for expansion or even freezer bags. It will keep for up to four months. No need to thaw before reheating. Just remove and place in a pot on low heat, and allow to get piping hot before serving.
More Delicious Chili Recipes
- The Best Chili Recipe – A classic family favorite!
- Easy White Chicken Chili – a fun twist on a classic!
- Vegetarian Chili – who needs meat?
- Instant Pot Chili – super fast!
- Turkey Chili – a healthier option
- Easy Crock Pot Chili Recipe – so easy
- Savory Pumpkin Chili – simmer & enjoy
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast trimmed of excess fat, cut into ½ inch chunks
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 jalapeños seeded and diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce seeded and finely chopped
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups beef stock or broth
- 2 bay leaves
Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Season the beef with kosher salt and black pepper.
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and brown half of the meat. Repeat with remaining beef. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat 30 seconds. Add the jalapeno peppers and onions and saute for about 10 minutes onions are softened. (Do not brown them).
- Stir in garlic and seasoning mix and cook 30 seconds or just until fragrant.
- Add the beef back into the pot along with remaining ingredients.
- Bring the chili to a boil and then turn the heat down to low.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 3 ½ hours stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. If it becomes too thick, add more stock as needed.
- Before serving remove the bay leaves and serve plain or covered with sour cream, shredded cheese, or green onions.
Notes
While cooking the meat in the chili should slightly shred - this is normal.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Main Course
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This is hands down the best chili I’ve ever made or had! One question though — could I do all this is a crockpot instead? Any modifications to make a crockpot version work?
Hi Natasha, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! This chili should work well in the crockpot however it won’t thicken as much as the stovetop version. To cook I would put it on low for about 8 hours or until the beef is fork tender. Let us know how it turns out!
Made this today everyone raved. About an hour before I served it I divided to into two portions because of course half the family has to have beans so I added two cans of chili beans to one portion at the end. everyone raved. thanks for the recipe.
SO GOOD. made exactly as written. Perfect amount of spice. Enough to make your nose run a little but not be uncomfortable. Will absolutely be making again!!
Th a nk you I was looking for a good chili recipe.
This was I the best chili I’ve ever made! I seasoned with my heart and added a whole 7oz can of chipotle chilies and adobo sauce (my family likes heat). It was absolutely amazing!! perfect for warming you up on a cold evening.
It was delicious and everything it was supposed to be! A deep, rich, savory broth, and very tender meat. I didn’t make any sides though, and that was a mistake. Nothing to sop up the gravy! I can see why someone might add a can of beans.
This is the best chili I’ve ever made! I added an additional chipotle pepper because my husband loves the heat. Majorly delicious! This will be added to my favorite make again recipe list!
For “chipolte peppers” Is that one pepper or one can? Gonna make this today. Thanks.
Hi Don, we just use one chipotle pepper for this recipe. Any chipotle peppers that are left over can be frozen individually in an ice cube tray or ziplock for later use. Enjoy!
We made this last night and it turned out amazing…. a new family favorite!
Best Chili recipe EVER!!!
There are three things that never appear in “true” Texas chili (aka “Texas Red”): ground beef, beans, tomatoes. Texas Red is beef and chilis, simmered in stock and thickened with a masa slurry. This is not a put down of the many other fine chili recipes, it’s just that Texas Red is unique
To beans or not to beans, that is the question. Quite frankly it is foolhardy to assume beans never made it into early chili recipes. As a common staple of cattle drives (along with lard, coffee, jerky, hard biscuits, and dried fruit), beans were and still are an excellent and cheap protein source (as well as fiber). Whoever and however chili first came into existence is still a debate, but find me a man on something as rugged as a cattle drive who wouldn’t just mix all his food on his plate and call it a meal, and I’ll show you a man who isn’t counting his blessings right and working hard enough. If the cook on the chuck wagon was short on meat for stewin’ and needed to bolster the stew some, you betcha beans are gonna be added! Now perhaps there were instance of beans only chili. Compared to meat only chili, well that’s a no brainer and would give a plausible explanation for the “no beans” debate. Perhaps certain beans pair better with chili than others. Me personally I’ll add red kidney beans if I’m doing beans and chili, but make no mistake, hungry men WILL add whatever food sources are available to them and it’d be a real show of your lost senses to believe early chili recipes didn’t have beans AND meat in them.
With that said, make your damn chili however you want y’all! It ain’t doin’ your neighbors no harm if you add beans or leave em out. So long as you aren’t wasting food, mind your own back 40!
Excellent chilli, full of flavour as promised.
I halved the chilli powder and it still had a kick to it.
Very very good!
both chili theories are correct. the Texas Red from San Antonio had no beans. the castle driving comms in the Texas West for sure had beans to make the little bit of meat they had left go farther. like what you like… food is like music.
This is the most incredible chili recipe out there. My mom used to make a Texas red chili and I’ve searched and searched for a recipe that had the same flavor. I’ve easily tried over 70 different recipes over the years, but after having found this one, I can say my search is over! Thank you so much for posting this recipe! Love to make this when that first wave of cold weather hits for the year. Nothing better!
Put some beans in that chili and you can then call it Texas chili.
No beans = authentic Texas chili
No, Claudette. If you’re from Texas you must have been in a county in and of itself. No where in Texas have I known of beans being acceptable in chili. I am a 4th generation Texan with family spread from east to west, north to south and all in between. Every family get together included Chili and never did a pot have beans in it.
Can this be made in a slow cooker
This chili should work well in the crockpot however it won’t thicken as much as the stovetop version. To cook I would put it on low for about 8 hours or until the beef is fork tender. Let us know how it turns out!
Never had Texas Chili before so I gave it a try due to all the wonderful reviews. I absolutely love this recipe. I made it just as written except I added beans. I have made this several times. Delicious!!
Texas Chili doesn’t have beans
I don’t mind the spice, but my lady is doing her best to handle it. Bless her heart she’s not that well acquainted as I am with the heat. Any suggestions for a first time Texas chili cooker to lessen the heat, as I have 1 hour left in the cooking process?
This is the ticket right here. I am from the Southwest- my Mom was from Texas- My Wife was half Mexican and I know Chili ️ Make this and feast.