This hearty beef chili is loaded with tender chunks of roast, smoky bacon, and just enough spice to keep things interesting. Slow-cooked until rich and deeply flavored, every spoonful delivers that bold, meaty kick you expect from Texas-style chili-with the comforting addition of beans. Serve it for cold nights, game day, or anytime you're craving a bowl of pure comfort.
This chili recipe is my updated, much improved, original Paleo chili I first created years ago. Back then, I was following a Paleo diet and made it without beans. It was quite good, but something always felt missing... though I chalked that up to being a "healthy chili."
Now that I am no longer Paleo, I have reworked this chili recipe multiple times until I have perfected it. Quite honestly, it is downright good and I am convinced its good enough to win a chili cook-off.
I added the chipotle peppers, beer, and (yes) the beans. The result is a Texas-style chili that nods to tradition while embracing the heartiness beans provide. True Texas chili skips the beans, but personally, I love the flavor and substance they add.
This recipe takes a bit more effort than the usual quick chili, but every minute is absolutely worth it. I hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy! Xoxo -Katie.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredients to make this beef chili with beans and Texas-style flavor.
- chuck roast- Chuck roast is marbled with fat, giving it a deeper, richer flavor than ground beef, and a tender, slightly chewy texture. If you're short on time, you can swap the chuck for ground beef and cut the cooking time down to beef and reduce the simmering time down an hour.
- bacon
- onion- I prefer sweet vadilla onion or yellow onion. However, you can use white onion or red onion.
- red bell pepper and green bell pepper
- garlic cloves- You can substitute with garlic powder.
- smoked paprika, cumin, Mexican oregano, cocoa powder, and celery salt
- beer-Use your favorite beer, but avoid ones with overly strong flavors. They can overpower the chili rather than enhance it. If you do not want to add beer, substitute with 12 ounces of beef broth.
- canned tomatoes- I prefer San Marzano tomatoes for their natural sweetness. It helps balance some of the rich, smoky flavor of the chili. However, canned diced tomatoes work just fine as a substitute.
- tomato paste
- canned fire roasted green chilis
- Worcestershire sauce- Any brand will do, but I highly recommend Bear & Burton's W Sauce. It's tangy, sweet, savory, and salty-much thicker than the other typical brands. It's my go-to in any dish that calls for Worcestershire, and it's an absolute winner in Bloody Marys.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce- This adds a deep smokey flavor and pop of heat to the chili. I use 4 peppers and 4 tablespoons of the adobo sauce, but for a milder chili, cut it back to 1-2 peppers and 2 tablespoons of sauce. If you love it extra smoky and spicy, go all in and add the whole can.
- beef broth
- bay leaves
- kidney beans and black beans- You can substitute with light kidney beans and pinot beans.
Steps
Follow these steps to make the best beef chili.
- Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook on medium heat in a Dutch oven or large stockpot. Remove the bacon and set it aside leaving the rendered grease in the pot.
- Add 3 tablespoons of grease in a small dish and set it aside.
- Chop chuck roast in medium bite-sized pieces removing the big pieces of fat.
- Brown chuck roast pieces in the rendered bacon grease on medium high-heat, then remove it from the dutch oven, and set it aside.
- Add the 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease to the Dutch oven, then add onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat 1 minute, then stir in smoked paprika, cumin, Mexican oregano, cocoa powder, and celery salt. Continue cooking until tender.
- Once the vegetables are tender, pour in the beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to build flavor.
- Add tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, green chilis, and Worcestershire sauce. Strain the liquid from the beans and add to the soup.
- Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and beef broth to a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Stir the broth mixture into the chili and add the bay leaves. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Remove the lid andand remove the pot from heat. Rest for 5-10 minutes, and then serve.
Watch how to make
Cooking Tip
Save the trimmed fat from the chuck roast to make beef tallow. If you're not ready to make it right away, store the fat in an airtight container and freeze until you are ready to use.
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
You can make this in a slow cooker. To make this in a slow cooker, complete the first 6 steps as written, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Continue with the remaining steps, adding the ingredients to the slow cooker instead of the Dutch oven. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
More hearty soups
If you make this beef chili, I'd love to hear how it went! Let me know of any changes you made or additional tips. Leave me a comment and share if your family or friends loved it too-those stories always make my day.
Also post your picture or video of your chili on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Beef Chili with Bacon & Beans (Texas-Style Flavor)
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
- Dutch oven or large stock pot
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon chopped into bite sized pieces
- 3 pounds chuck roast or pot roast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 12 ounce beer
- 28 ounces canned tomatoes in their juices
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 7 ounces canned fire roasted green chilis
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 15 ounces dark red kidney beans drain the liquid
- 15 ounces black beans drain the liquid
- 4 chipotle peppers
- 4 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 14.5 ounces beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook on medium heat in a Dutch oven or large stockpot. Remove the bacon and set it aside leaving the rendered grease in the pot.12 ounces bacon
- Add 3 tablespoons of grease in a small dish and set it aside.
- Chop chuck roast in medium bite-sized pieces removing the big pieces of fat.3 pounds chuck roast or pot roast
- Salt chuck roast pieces, then brown in the rendered bacon grease on medium high-heat, then remove it from the dutch oven, and set it aside.½ teaspoon salt
- Add the 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease to the Dutch oven, then add onion, bell pepper, red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat 1 minute, then stir in smoked paprika, cumin, Mexican oregano, cocoa powder, and celery salt. Continue cooking until tender.1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 6 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- Once the vegetables are tender, pour in the beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to build flavor.12 ounce beer
- Add tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, green chilis, and Worcestershire sauce. Strain the liquid from the beans and add to the soup.28 ounces canned tomatoes in their juices, 6 ounces tomato paste, 7 ounces canned fire roasted green chilis, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 15 ounces dark red kidney beans, 15 ounces black beans
- dd the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and beef broth to a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth.4 chipotle peppers, 4 tablespoons adobo sauce, 14.5 ounces beef broth
- Stir the broth mixture into the chili and add the bay leaves. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Remove the lid andand remove the pot from heat. Rest for 5-10 minutes, and then serve.2 bay leaves
Slow Cooker Instructions
- To make this in a slow cooker, complete the first 6 steps as written, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Continue with the remaining steps, adding the ingredients to the slow cooker instead of the Dutch oven. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Notes
- Use your favorite beer, but avoid ones with overly strong flavors. They can overpower the chili rather than enhance it. If you do not want to add beer, substitute with 12 ounces of beef broth.
- Chipotle peppers add a deep smokey flavor and pop of heat to the chili. I use 4 peppers and 4 tablespoons of the adobo sauce, but for a milder chili, cut it back to 1-2 peppers and 2 tablespoons of sauce. If you love it extra smoky and spicy, go all in and add the whole can.
Ben says
Great recipe. I love a chili with meaty chunks rather than ground beef, and honestly, when you add bacon, I'm all in. LOL
Terri says
Excellent chili! I grew up in south California, and I live in Texas, now, so I know my chili. This stuff is blue ribbon all the way.
Kristin says
My husband and I really enjoyed this! I love the heat level. It's spicy, but it didn't make me question my life choices, either.
Maria says
Now, THIS is what I call chili! I made this last night, and not only was it delicious, but it was ridiculously easy.
Tammy says
Perfect for winter or game day weekends. Such a delicious chili recipe..will be making again for sure!
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
I Love Niman Ranch. I used to have a cookbook published from them that featured recipes from the ranchers and farms they purchased from . It was cool, but it is lost. This beautiful recipe is a great addition to my low carb Pinterest board. Thank so much for this great recipe!