Recipe 02
Slow-Braised Beef Chili
This was my first ever chili. It won first place at my job’s chili contest in 2026!
- Makes
- Approximately 5–6 quarts
- Prep
- 30–60 minutes, plus overnight bean soaking and beef dry-brining
- Cooking
- Approximately 4–6 hours total, depending on equipment
Ingredients
Meat
- 2½ lb boneless beef chuck roast
- 1½ lb ground beef (80/20)
- Kosher salt for dry-brining
- Neutral cooking oil
Beans
- ¾ lb dried pinto beans
- ¼ lb dried red kidney beans
Vegetables
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional; roast and peel first to avoid tough skins)
Sauce
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- Approximately 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus extra if needed
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- Apple cider vinegar, a splash to finish
- Additional salt to taste
Spices
- 3 tbsp mild chili powder
- 2 tbsp ground ancho chile powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
The Night Before
- Sort and rinse the dried beans. Soak in plenty of lightly salted water in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours.
- Pat the chuck roast dry. Salt all sides with roughly 1 tsp kosher salt per pound.
- Place the whole roast on a rack over a tray, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight.
Cooking Day
- Cut the chuck into ½–¾-inch cubes. In a hot pan or multicooker on Sear/Sauté, brown in uncrowded batches, approximately 3–5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a bowl.
- Brown the ground beef in the same pot, leaving some larger crumbles. Remove it and reserve about 2 tbsp rendered fat.
- Add onions and optional peeled bell pepper. Cook 8–10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste. Stir and cook 2 minutes until slightly darkened.
- Add all dry spices and cocoa. Stir 30–45 seconds until fragrant, without burning.
- Pour in ½ cup beef broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Return both meats. Add crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and another 1 cup beef broth.
- Cover and slow-cook on HIGH until the chuck is fork-tender and nearly falling apart. This took roughly 2½–3½ hours in our Ninja multicooker; other slow cookers may take 4–6 hours or longer. Adjust heat to maintain gentle bubbling.
- Meanwhile, drain and rinse the soaked beans. Cook in fresh water, preferably in separate pots. Kidney beans must boil vigorously for at least 30 minutes before further simmering. Continue cooking both types until fully tender and creamy, with no grainy or chalky centers. Drain gently.
- Once the chuck is tender, fold in the cooked beans. Warm together gently for about 10–15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt. Add about ½ cup more beef broth if the chili is too thick, and a small splash of apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavor.
- If excess fat rises to the surface, skim some off. Leave a little for richness.
For Best Results
- Make the chili one day ahead.
- Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate.
- The next day, remove excess solidified fat if necessary.
- Reheat thoroughly to 165°F and hold at 140°F or hotter for serving.
- Add a splash of broth if needed to restore the desired consistency.
Notes
- Properly cooked dried beans are a major part of the texture.
- Brown the beef well. This is one of the biggest flavor builders.
- The chuck should be extremely tender, but don’t shred all of it. Leave some chunks.
- Keep the chili thick. It should coat the beef and beans.
- The bell pepper can be omitted entirely, or roasted and peeled before adding.
- No brown sugar was used in the winning batch.
- Adjust chili powder downward slightly if cooking for people who dislike heat.