Hearty Slow-Cooked Beef Chili Recipe

This rich, deeply flavorful chili recipe features tender beef simmered low and slow in a smoky, spiced tomato broth — the ultimate comfort food for game day or a cozy night in. For another slow-simmered classic, try the Tolbert's Chili Recipe. And if you love spicy, saucy dishes, don't miss the Chipotle Chicken Al Pastor Recipe.

Hearty Slow-Cooked Beef Chili

• Publisher: Crisprecipe
• Cuisine: Tex-Mex American
• Category: Main Course
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Servings: 6 hearty bowls
• Calories: Approximately 380-450 calories per serving

Chili is a cornerstone of Tex-Mex and American cuisine, a robust one-pot stew with roots stretching from the chili queens of 19th-century San Antonio to modern-day cook-offs across the country. This version honors tradition with chunks of beef, a deeply aromatic chili paste, and a slow simmer that coaxes out layers of smoky, spicy, and savory flavors. Every steaming bowl tastes like a warm embrace, perfect alongside a side of Pat and Oscar's Breadsticks Recipe for sopping up every drop.

What makes this chili truly special is the homemade chili paste — dried ancho and guajillo chiles toasted and blended into a silky, earthy base that no powder alone can replicate. It gives the dish a depth and richness that develops as it simmers, filling your kitchen with an irresistible, heady aroma. This technique-driven approach mirrors the care found in the Adam Ragusea Chili recipe.

This is a Texas-style "bowl of red" at its core — no beans, just supremely tender beef and a velvety, brick-red sauce that clings to every morsel. Topped with sharp cheddar, cooling sour cream, and pickled jalapeños, each bite delivers a perfect balance of heat, richness, and brightness. If you enjoy bold, meaty dishes, the Longhorn Lamb Chops Recipe offers similarly robust satisfaction.

While deeply traditional, this recipe is also endlessly customizable — add kidney or pinto beans for a heartier, more budget-friendly pot, or dial up the cayenne if you crave serious fire. The flavor only improves overnight, making it the ultimate make-ahead meal for busy weeknights or feeding a hungry crowd on game day. For another make-ahead comfort classic, explore the Brenda Gantt Chicken and Dumplings Recipe.

Served with a skillet of warm cornbread, a pile of crispy tortilla chips, or ladled over a steaming baked potato, this chili transforms into a versatile foundation for endless meals. The interplay of smoky cumin, bright lime, and savory beef is nothing short of craveable. It shares that deeply comforting, soul-warming quality with the Shoney Potato Soup Recipe.

Don't skip the finishing touches — a bright squeeze of fresh lime juice and a flurry of chopped cilantro wake up the entire pot, adding a fresh counterpoint to the hours-long simmer. The contrast makes the deep, slow-cooked flavors sing. For another dish elevated by fresh, bright garnishes, try the Mal's Famous Jambalaya Recipe.

Recipe

This is your new go-to chili recipe — a deeply satisfying, soul-warming bowl of tender beef in a rich, complex sauce that tastes like it simmered all day. Pair it with the Jucy's Beans Recipe for a complete, hearty feast.

Ingredients

• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 cups (480ml) hot beef stock or water, divided
• 2 lbs (900g) beef chuck, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or beef tallow, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh lime wedges, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, and fresh cilantro for serving

Method Instructions

1. Place the stemmed and seeded dried ancho and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast them for 30-45 seconds per side, pressing down gently with a spatula, until they become fragrant, pliable, and slightly darkened — watch carefully, as burning them will create bitterness.
2. Transfer the toasted chiles to a medium heatproof bowl and pour 1½ cups of the hot beef stock over them to fully submerge. Let the chiles soak and soften for 20 minutes, then transfer the chiles and the soaking liquid to a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and velvety, then set the chili paste aside.
3. While the chiles soak, pat the beef chuck cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels and season them generously on all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is nearly smoking.
4. Working in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, sear the beef cubes in a single layer for 3-4 minutes per side, developing a deep, dark brown crust on all surfaces. Use a slotted spoon to transfer each batch to a clean plate, then set the seared beef aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the now-empty pot. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up the browned fond from the bottom, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
6. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried Mexican oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook for exactly 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are intensely fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden — do not let the garlic burn.
7. Clear a small space in the center of the pot and add the tablespoon of tomato paste directly to the hot surface. Let it cook undisturbed for 45 seconds to caramelize and deepen in color, then stir it into the onion-spice mixture until everything is evenly coated.
8. Pour the reserved blended chili paste into the pot, followed by the can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, the remaining ½ cup of beef stock, the apple cider vinegar, and the brown sugar. Stir vigorously to combine everything into a cohesive, brick-red sauce. Nestle the bay leaf into the liquid.
9. Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices on the plate back into the pot, submerging the meat fully into the chili sauce. Bring the entire mixture up to a lively boil, then immediately reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer gently for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
10. After 2 hours, the beef should be fall-apart tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce should be thickened and deeply concentrated. Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or cayenne as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Ladle into deep bowls and serve piping hot loaded with shredded sharp cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime.

Recipe Video

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Recipe Tags: chili, chili recipe, beef chili, Texas chili, bowl of red, homemade chili, comfort food, game day chili, slow cooked chili